Gone too soon, and we’ll certainly miss Raul Malo, the soulful tenor and frontman of the lively genre-defying, Grammy-winning band The Mavericks who died early this week after battling cancer. He was 60. “He was called to do another gig – this time in the sky – and he’s flying high like an eagle,” his wife Betty Malo wrote on Facebook.
“No one embodied life and love, joy and passion, family, friends, music, and adventure the way our beloved Raul did. Now he will look down on us with all that heaven will allow, lighting the way and reminding us to savor every moment,” she added.
Malo’s band praised his deep commitment to the “preservation of the multilingual American musical repertoire” and his steadfast championing of “music education as an inspiration for every child across America and throughout the world.”
Born Raul Francisco Martínez-Malo Jr. in Miami to Cuban parents, he co-founded The Mavericks in 1989 with drummer Paul Deakin and bass guitarist Robert Reynolds. Their self-titled debut album was released the following year on the independent, Miami-based label Y&T Music.
Some call the band alt-country. Others describe it as Americana, roots, Latin, Tejano or swing. It’s all of the above and more, driven by songs written by Malo, his expansive guitar style and his broad vocal range, from a soaring, velvety baritone to operatic high notes.
His musical prowess was in the blend, also incorporating rock, traditional country and surf.
“I grew up in a household where we listened to all kinds of music,” Malo said in a 2020 NPR interview. “I just remember it was a celebration of all these cultures.”
The band has taken on various iterations over the years as some members came and went. The Mavericks also disbanded a couple of times. Malo put out a dozen or so solo albums and collaboration projects as well, including his instrumental “Say Less,” “You’re Only Lonely” and “Sinners & Saints.”
The Mavericks released their 13th studio album, “Moon & Stars,” in 2024. Between that and their debut, the band received a Grammy, two Country Music Association awards and three Academy of Country Music Awards.
Raul has a BMI award for songwriting, for “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down,” and was nominated for several solo Grammys, including one for his album “Lucky One” and another for his work with the Latin supergroup “Los Super Seven.”
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