09/12/2025
Sad news about a great musician and a little worrying for me
Lot's of great songs and this is one of my favourites
Raul Malo — Obituary & Remembrance
🕯️ Life & Career
Born Raúl Francisco Martínez-Malo Jr. on 7 August 1965 in Miami, Florida, to Cuban immigrant parents.
In 1989 he co-founded The Mavericks — blending country, rock, Tex-Mex, Latin and Americana — and quickly established a distinctive sound thanks to his rich, expressive voice.
With The Mavericks, he helped create hits such as Dance the Night Away, What a Crying Shame, All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down and Here Comes the Rain, among others.
Over more than three decades, he also maintained a solo career and collaborated with other artists — including time with the super-group Los Super Seven — always drawing on his Cuban heritage and broad musical influences.
He became known not just for his voice, but for his role as a bridge between musical traditions — merging American roots, Latin rhythms, rockabilly and country in a way that opened doors for many fans and artists alike.
📅 Final Years & Illness
In June 2024, Raul publicly announced he had been diagnosed with colon cancer.
Over the next year, he continued to receive treatment and occasionally updated fans on his condition. In September 2025, he revealed that the cancer had progressed to a rare and serious complication — Leptomeningeal disease (LMD), which affects the membranes around the brain and spinal cord.
The band cancelled their remaining tour dates for 2025 due to his health.
🕯️ Passing & Legacy
Raul Malo passed away on 8 December 2025 at the age of 60.
A statement from the band described him as “a force of human nature, with an infectious energy,” and praised his “towering creative contributions and unrivalled, generational talent.”
His death is being mourned by fans, fellow musicians, and the wider music community — many emphasising that his voice, spirit, and musical vision helped broaden what American country and roots music could be.
💿 What He Leaves Behind
A rich discography: dozens of albums and singles with The Mavericks, plus solo records and collaborations, reflecting a lifetime of musical curiosity and cross-cultural fusion.
A legacy as a genre-defying artist — someone who showed that country or Americana didn’t have to be narrow, that Latin rhythms and bilingual influences could sit comfortably alongside rock, swing, and traditional country.
For many fans, memories of live shows, emotional ballads, jubilant Latin-infused anthems — and the sense that through his music, two or more musical worlds were being brought together.
Music video by The Mavericks performing Back In Your Arms Again. (C) 2013 The Valory Music Co., LLC
