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Raul Malo

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Raul Malo
Malo performing in 2011
Malo performing in 2011
Background information
Born
Raul Francisco Martínez-Malo Jr.

(1965-08-07)August 7, 1965
Miami, Florida, U.S.
DiedDecember 8, 2025(2025-12-08) (aged 60)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active1989–2025
LabelsNew Door
Formerly ofThe Mavericks

Raul Francisco Martínez-Malo Jr. (August 7, 1965 – December 8, 2025) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer. He was both the lead singer and songwriter of country music band the Mavericks,[2] co-writing many of their singles, as well as Rick Trevino's 2003 single "In My Dreams". After the disbanding of the Mavericks in the early 2000s, Malo pursued a solo career.[3] He also participated from 2001 in the Los Super Seven supergroup. The Mavericks re-formed in 2012 and continued to tour extensively. In 2015, they won the Americana music award for duo/group of the year.

Life and career

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Malo was born in Miami in 1965, to Cuban immigrant parents.[2] However, for much of his adult life, Malo was based in Nashville, Tennessee, where he had lived since 1993.[4]

He was personally fond of the music of people such as Elvis Presley and Hank Williams.[5]

For 34 years, Malo was married to Betty, and had three children; sons Dino, Victor, and Max.[6]

In June 2024, Malo announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer.[7]

In September 2025, he canceled his remaining tour dates due to his cancer, which Malo claimed on his Instagram page had by this point reached its leptomeningeal disease (LMD) stage, thus spreading to his spinal cord and brain.[8][6] During his bout with cancer, Malo also left his Nashville home and stayed in Houston, where he received treatment at MD Anderson.[6][9] On December 7, 2025, however, Betty Malo confirmed on her Instagram page that she and Raul by now received mail from a UPS business center in Nashville.[10]

On December 4, 2025, Malo was hospitalized, the day before the first of two nights of tribute shows, which he and his family were also initially scheduled to attend, were set to be held in his honor in Nashville.[11][9] Despite his continued hospitalization, both tribute shows for Malo would be held as planned at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium on December 5 and 6, 2025.[12] On December 6, his Mavericks bandmates were able to visit him in the hospital, giving him one final "concert," which his wife posted a clip of on her Instagram page.[13][14] Malo died of colon cancer on December 8, at the age of 60.[15][2][16]

Solo discography

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Albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions
US Country US Heat US Indie US Holiday
Today
  • Release date: October 23, 2001
  • Label: Higher Octave
 — — — —
You're Only Lonely
  • Release date: July 25, 2006
  • Label: Sanctuary Records
 — 50 38 —
After Hours
  • Release date: July 17, 2007
  • Label: New Door Records
 43 12 — —
Marshmallow World &
Other Holiday Favorites
  • Release date: September 25, 2007
  • Label: New Door Records
 — 24 — 11
Lucky One
  • Release date: March 3, 2009
  • Label: Fantasy Records
 — 13 — —
Sinners and Saints
  • Release date: October 5, 2010
  • Label: Fantasy Records
 — 7 — —
Around the World Live
  • Release date: February 24, 2012
  • Label: Concord/Fantasy/Universal
 — — — —
Quarantunes[17]
  • Release date: April 21, 2021
  • Label: Mono Mundo Recordings
 — — — —
Say Less[18]
  • Release date: May 19, 2023
  • Label: Mono Mundo Recordings
 — — — —

Singles

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Year Single Peak positions Album
UK[19]
2002 "I Said I Love You" 57 Today
"Today" —
2006 "Feels Like Home" — You're Only Lonely
2009 "Lucky One" — Lucky One
2010 "Moonlight Kiss" —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos

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Year Video Director
2009 "Hello Again" Matt Robertson

References

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  1. ^ Staff (December 3, 2010). "RAUL MALO: 'I'M NOT IN THE MAINSTREAM COUNTRY MUSIC GAME ANY MORE'". OC Weekly. Retrieved July 25, 2023. After they disbanded in the early 2000s, Malo went solo and continued to make superb, thoughtful if progressive country music on his own.
  2. ^ a b c Millman, Ethan (December 9, 2025). "Raul Malo, Frontman of the Mavericks, Dies at 60". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  3. ^ ""Today" by Raul Malo - zBoneman Music Reviews". Zboneman.com. Archived from the original on February 11, 2007. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  4. ^ Gibbs, Audrey (December 9, 2025). "Raul Malo, frontman of The Mavericks and country-Latin visionary, dies at 60". The Tennesseean. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  5. ^ Liemkuehler, Matthew (December 8, 2025). "UPDATED: The Mavericks and Friends Salute Raul Malo at the Ryman". The Nashville Scene. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c "Raul Malo, the soulful tenor and frontman of The Mavericks, has died at age 60". Associated Press. December 9, 2025. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  7. ^ "Raul Malo, Singer of the Mavericks, Says He's Been Diagnosed with Cancer". Rolling Stone. June 27, 2024.
  8. ^ "Country music star shares devastating cancer news: 'All shows going forward are cancelled'". pennlive.com. September 25, 2025.
  9. ^ a b Audrey Gibbs (December 8, 2025). "'The Mavericks' Raul Malo tribute goes on amid cancer battle". USA Today. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  10. ^ officialbettymalo (December 7, 2025). "Raul & Betty Malo. PO Box 461, 1831 12th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee. For cards and letters... Please send them to the personal business center address that Betty has set up for Raul. Please use the ENTIRE ADDRESS as written. This is a UPS business center. Please reshare 🙏🏻 This is NOT for the band! For donations, please visit the #gofundme link that is pinned in our bios. It will take you directly to it. #RaulMalo 💙 #bettymalo". Instagram. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  11. ^ Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean (December 4, 2025). "Raul Malo rushed to hospital but Ryman tribute shows to proceed". Nashville Tennessean. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  12. ^ "Raul Malo gets tribute from 'Mavericks' amid cancer hospitalization". USA Today. December 8, 2025. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  13. ^ Linder, Brian (December 9, 2025). "Country music fans 'sobbing' after group serenades its dying frontman in hospital". PennLive. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  14. ^ officialbettymalo (December 6, 2025). "Filling and surrounding @raulmalo01 with love". Instagram. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  15. ^ "Raul Malo, Lush-Voiced Frontman of the Mavericks, dies at 60". The New York Times. December 9, 2025. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  16. ^ Raul Malo, Golden-Voiced ‘Maestro’ of the Mavericks, Dead at 60 Rolling Stone
  17. ^ "Raul Malo - Quarantunes". Discogs.com. April 21, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  18. ^ "Raul Malo - Say Less". Discogs.com. May 19, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  19. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 344. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
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