Raul Malo, the evocative tenor and dynamic frontman of The Mavericks, died on December 8, 2025. He was 60 years old. Malo had been battling cancer.

In a message shared on Malo’s official Facebook page, his wife Betty wrote that he passed at 8:52 p.m. on December 8. She described him as a devoted husband and father who “was called to do another gig — this time in the sky,” and thanked friends, family and fans for their support throughout his illness. The family added, in Raul’s words: “Muchísimas gracias.” Read the statement.

The Mavericks’ official Facebook page also confirmed Malo’s death, saying: “It’s with the deepest grief we share the passing of our friend, bandmate and brother Raul Malo on December 8th, 2025 at the age of 60.” The group praised Malo’s boundless energy and his significant contributions to music across genres and cultures. See the band’s post.

Malo had publicly announced a colon cancer diagnosis in June 2024 and continued to perform while undergoing treatment. In 2025, however, his condition worsened: the cancer progressed to his brain, and several tour dates were canceled. On December 4 he was hospitalized and could not attend two tribute performances at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on December 5 and 6, where friends and collaborators — including Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle and Jeff Hanna of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band — gathered to honor him and the band’s legacy.

Throughout his career Malo was celebrated for a voice frequently likened to Roy Orbison’s crystalline tone and for his eclectic musical vision. Born in Miami in 1965 to a first-generation Cuban-American family, he grew up bilingual and absorbed a wide range of influences — jazz, pop, country, Latin music and rock — which he wove into The Mavericks’ signature sound.

The Mavericks formed in Miami and signed with MCA Records in 1991. Their early albums included From Hell to Paradise (1992) and the double-platinum What a Crying Shame, which produced singles such as “What a Crying Shame,” “Oh, What a Thrill” and “There Goes My Heart.” The band won a Grammy for best country performance by a duo or group with vocals for “Here Comes the Rain” and earned multiple Grammy nominations, while also being named Vocal Group of the Year by the CMA in the mid-1990s.

Although mainstream radio sometimes struggled to categorize the band’s genre-blurring music, The Mavericks built a devoted following through powerful live performances that showcased Malo’s singular vocal presence and the ensemble’s musical prowess. The group’s highest-charting single was “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down” (featuring Flaco Jiménez), which reached No. 13 on Billboard’s Top Country Songs chart in 1996.

After a hiatus in the 2000s, Malo pursued solo projects and collaborations, including work with Los Super Seven. The Mavericks reunited in 2012 and continued to earn accolades, including the Americana Music Honors & Awards’ Duo/Group of the Year in 2015. In 2020 the band released En Español, an album of reimagined Latin American songs that broadened their reach; their most recent record, Moon & Stars, arrived in 2024 and featured guest appearances from Sierra Ferrell, Maggie Rose, Nicole Atkins and Max Abrams.

Tributes poured in from fellow artists and producers. Producer Shooter Jennings wrote on X: “Rest in peace Raul Malo! I loved the Mavericks… A performer and craftsman of the highest order.” Country singer Randy Houser recalled listening to The Mavericks in college and praised Malo’s “beautiful, God-given voice.” Others noted the outpouring of love at the Ryman celebration and praised the decades-long musical legacy Malo leaves behind. Read Shooter Jennings’ post.

Raul Malo is survived by his wife Betty (the couple were married 34 years), their sons Dino, Victor and Max; his mother Norma; his sister Carol; and former and current Mavericks bandmates Paul Deakin, Eddie Perez and Jerry Dale McFadden.

Source