Singer/songwriter Richard Marx has opened up about his split from his actress wife Cynthia Rhodes, describing their breakup as painful.

The Hazard singer announced in April (14) that he had separated from the Dirty Dancing star after a 25-year marriage, and at the time of the news he insisted he was "just having fun" as being single was "all brand new" to him.

However, the musician has now confessed he is hurting from the split but is adamant his new album, Beautiful Goodbye, is not about his doomed union.

Marx tells People.com, "There were people who thought that, especially with the name of the album, that it was going to be a record about splitting up. And it's not that at all. It's really a celebration of romance and seduction...

"It has been a painful time. But I don't necessarily want to bury myself in songs about it, frankly, out of respect. I have nothing but love and respect for my ex-wife and I don't really want to delve into that in songwriting so much. Not to say that I never will, but I didn't feel like that's where I wanted to write from. I wanted to write from a more positive, inspired, hopeful place... I wouldn't discuss (the reasons for the split) with even some of my close friends. It's really nobody's business."