Raul Malo of The Mavericks at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, Nov. 25, 2024.
The Mavericks lead singer Raul Malo, second from right, speaks to the audience after winning Vocal Group of the Year for the first time during the 29th annual CMA Awards show at the Grand Ole Opry House Oct. 4, 1995. The band ended Diamond Rio's three-year stranglehold on the award.
The Mavericks, fronted by singer-songwriter Raul Malo, will perform as part of Friday’s Grand Ole Opry show.
The Mavericks, fronted by singer-songwriter Raul Malo, right, will perform on late night television this week.

Raul Malo, a genre-blending visionary and frontman of The Mavericks, has died. He was 60.

"My love… our boys' father… a devoted son and brother… and a friend to so many, gained his angel wings," Malo's wife, Betty Malo, posted on social media. "He was called to do another gig — this time in the sky — and he's flying high like an eagle."

Malo, whose velvety baritone and versatile songwriting infused country music with Latin and rock sensibilities for decades, died on Monday, Dec. 8, after a year-and-a-half battle with cancer.

"No one embodied life and love, joy and passion, family, friends, music, and adventure the way our beloved Raul did," his wife wrote. "Now he will look down on us with all that heaven will allow, lighting the way and reminding us to savor every moment. Dino, Victor, Max and I — along with our entire family — thank all of you for your love and support through all of this. We felt every bit of it."

"In Raul’s own words: 'Muchísimas gracias,'" she continued.

Malo, a Cuban-American artist, was best known as the singer, guitarist and songwriter of the Grammy Award-winning group The Mavericks. The band, a country-Latin rock outfit, recorded and toured together for over three decades, mixing elements of neotraditional country with the horns and beats of Latin music and rollicking rock 'n' roll.

Malo's hits include "Here Comes the Rain," "What A Crying Shame," "Dance The Night Away," "Back In Your Arms Again" and "All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down," as well as Rick Trevino's 2003 song "In My Dreams," which he helped pen and produce.

The Mavericks, Raul Malo made history together

Born Raul Joaquin Martinez Malo Jr. in 1965 in Miami to middle-class Cuban parents, Malo and drummer Paul Deakin formed The Mavericks in 1989. Their band rose to notoriety in the city's music scene for their dancey rhythms and feel-good sound.

After releasing an independent album, The Mavericks signed with MCA Nashville in 1991. The group put down roots in Nashville and dropped four albums, including the 1992 debut "From Hell To Paradise," home to some of Malo's most influential lyrics.

The album's title track invokes refugee resilience, inspired by Malo's aunt, who was imprisoned in Cuba for protesting the Castro regime.

"From hell to paradise / I'll always pay the price," Malo sings. "This 90-mile trip has taken / 30 years to make / They tried to keep forever / what was never theirs to take."

In a post to Instagram, The Mavericks' remaining members mourned Malo.

"Anyone with the pleasure of being in Raul’s orbit knew that he was a force of human nature, with an infectious energy," they wrote. "Over a career of more than three decades entertaining millions around the globe, his towering creative contributions and unrivaled, generational talent created the kind of multicultural American music reaching far beyond America itself."

The band lauded "his powerful songwriting and musicianship," "his lifelong commitment to the preservation of the multi-lingual American musical repertoire," and "his steadfast championing of music education."

"Though his earthly body may have passed, Raul’s spirit will live on forever in heaven, and here on earth through the music, joy, and light he brought forth," the band wrote. "His contributions to American and Latin music will be everlasting, as his songs and voice touched fans and fellow artists around the world."

After The Mavericks disbanded in 2000, Malo pursued a solo career, releasing nine full-length solo projects. He also played with the Los Super Seven, a Grammy-winning Latin American collective. The Mavericks reformed in 2012 and have been actively touring and recording since.

In 2018, they took home a Grammy for their album "Brand New Day" in the Americana music category. With a lineup of Malo, Deakin, keyboardist Jerry Dale McFadden, and guitarist Eddie Perez, the group released their latest record, "Moon & Stars," in 2024.

"The countriest record we ever made allowed us to become labeled 'alt-country,' which I suppose is how we later became labeled as 'Americana' — we've always had some sort of label," Malo said in 2024.

"We can't help but to be storytellers whose work is always slightly ahead of the Nashville curve."

Raul Malo cause of death: Cancer battle worsened before death

After their 2024 release, Malo shared with fans that the doctors had found cancerous spots in his digestive system.

"I've got a great team of doctors and medical professionals here in Nashville," he said in a statement, telling fans he would keep them updated throughout treatment, and that his health may impact live show schedules.

"You all have stuck with us throughout these 35 crazy years of music, shows, breaking up, and getting back together – we’ve even survived a pandemic together. We’ll get through this just like we have everything else."

He urged fellow men to see a doctor for regular check-ups.

"With modern medicine, these types of cancer are very survivable with proper treatment, but if you don’t get checked, you’ll never know. It’s important to do it for your family, the people around you, and those you love."

After undergoing liver tumor surgery and chemotherapy, Malo later shared that the cancer had progressed to leptomeningeal disease, a complication of advanced cancer where fluid surrounds the brain and spinal cord.

In September, Malo and the band announced they would be canceling all shows moving forward, with a few exceptions, including the two nights of tribute shows on Dec. 5 and 6. The tribute concerts, which included performances from Jamey Johnson, Marty Stuart, Patty Griffin, Nikki Lane and more, honored Malo's 35-year career and impact on the Nashville music scene.

"From Johnny Cash to Elvis to Willie Nelson and beyond, music is just about seeking the power of communicating and connecting with as many people as possible," Malo said in 2024.

"If people feel a sense of inclusive joy when they hear The Mavericks' music, then I've done my job."

Raul Malo is survived by his wife, Betty Malo, and their three sons: Dino, Victor and Max.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: The Mavericks frontman Raul Malo dies at 60 after cancer battle

Reporting by Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean / Nashville Tennessean

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