Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcos Valles.
Marcos, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Born in Puerto Rico to a family of musicians, I witnessed the power of music bringing people together at a very young age. My first musical memories were of me singing in my mother’s children’s choir and dancing along to my family’s famous musical jams. If I had stayed in Puerto Rico, I probably would’ve become a Latin musician, but that all changed in 1989, when my family decided to move to Stoneham, MA. In my youth, I discovered my love for alternative rock which quickly began to shape my musical styles. I picked up the acoustic guitar and started writing original songs. My then History Teacher, Mr. Serino, would give me 5 minutes at the end of class to perform my tunes. If the principal knew that he was letting me play songs like “I run naked through the woods”, I don’t think they would have let me keep going. But I have to give thanks to Mr. Serino for giving me the confidence to write and perform my own songs. Around the same time, I started partaking in Musical Theatre productions in both my high school and church. At the age of 16, I became the head drummer at my church playing in the praise and worship band surrounded by a bunch of 30-40-year-old musicians. That was definitely a schooling for me.
Because I didn’t have any formal musical training, I decided that it’d be best to follow my dreams of being a famous actor. In 2000, I applied and was accepted to Emerson College with a major in Musical Theatre. I quickly figured out that it was not meant to be and I joined an original Emerson College rock/funk band called “Parker House and Theory”. PH&T went on to tour in the Midwest and New England, releasing three records, playing sold out shows in Boston and parts of the Midwest, and in 2006 we won the award for “Funk/Jam Band” at the Boston Music Awards. In 2009, Parker House and Theory disbanded and we went our separate ways. In 2013, I released an EP of my own music under the moniker “Jon Marco”, at the same time releasing a video for my single “Rhianna.” The video went viral and garnered 150,000 views in a few days and was featured on “The Today Show.” The video is an homage to my favorite 80s movies and let me realize my dreams of being Marty McFly, my favorite movie character of all time.
In 2018, I was in the midst of transitioning out of the performing aspect of music and wanted to start my own music enrichment program for preschoolers, when I received a call from the former manager of “Parker House and Theory” asking me if I’d be interested in drumming for a new artist named “Noah Kahan.” I said yes, was flown down to Nashville for rehearsals, and a week later I was touring the world. This past year has definitely been a whirlwind of a year. I have performed on both “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ and “The Voice, Australia.” I have played sold out shows in the USA, Europe, and Australia, and now we’re preparing for our first headline tour with Noah Kahan in the Fall. I’m calling this part of my life my “second wind” and I’m super thankful.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I’m a drummer, singer, performer, and producer. My hope is that anyone that leaves a show I’ve performed at feels the sense of joy and belonging I felt as a child in my family parties.
Artists rarely, if ever pursue art for the money. Nonetheless, we all have bills and responsibilities and many aspiring artists are discouraged from pursuing art due to financial reasons. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with prospective artists?
My best advice is to be smart with your money and time. Save, spend wisely, and make sure you’re being paid appropriately for your time. Don’t undervalue your time.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
You can see me performing nationally and internationally with Noah Kahan for our Fall Headline Tour. Check out our dates at Noahkahan.com
You can see me performing locally once a month at the Burren in Somerville with the band, Young Love and The Thrills. Check us out at Youngloveandthethrills.com
I am also a movie buff and have started a podcast called “Movie Roulette” with two of my good friends. Check us out at the ITunes Store or whatever way you listen to podcasts.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.noahkahan.com www.youngloveandthethrills.com
- Email: vallesmarcos5382@gmail.com
- Instagram: @jonmarcomusic
Image Credit:
Marcos Valles
Lokelani Dahl
Ross Mcintire
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
