Grammy-winning Mavericks singer Raul Malo has died at the age of 60.

09 December 2025

Raul Malo, who brought a Latin flair to country music, performs with the Mavericks in New Orleans in 2014. (Tim Mosenfelder / Getty Images)

The music world is in mourning at the loss of Raul Malo, the golden-throated frontman of The Mavericks, who died on December 8, 2025 at the age of 60. His wife announced the heartbreaking news on Monday night, sharing that Malo had been battling cancer.

Malo’s final months were marked by courage and candour. He first revealed his colon cancer diagnosis in June 2024 and used social media to keep fans updated on his fight.

In September 2025, he disclosed that the disease had progressed to a rare complication known as leptomeningeal disease, where cancer spreads to the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. This devastating turn of events forced The Mavericks to cancel the remainder of their tour.

Even in pain, Malo’s spirit remained unbroken. While hospitals replaced stages, a two-night tribute concert was held at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. The event drew musicians and admirers from across the musical spectrum to celebrate a career that defied genre boundaries and touched countless lives.

Born Raul Francisco Martínez-Malo Jr. in Miami on August 7, 1965, Malo grew up immersed in the vibrant sounds of Cuban and American music thanks to his immigrant parents. This rich heritage shaped his musical sensibilities and fueled the eclectic sound that would later become The Mavericks’ signature.

In 1989 he co-founded The Mavericks alongside drummer Paul Deakin and bassist Robert Reynolds. Their debut album arrived the next year, but it was the early 1990s phase that truly set them apart, blending country, Latin, rock, swing, and surf influences into something unmistakably their own.

Malo’s voice was the backbone of the band, a sweeping, velvety tenor capable of tender vulnerability and soaring drama. Critics often compared him to legends like Roy Orbison for his operatic range and emotional depth. With that voice he carried songs that moved from heartbreak to hope, from gritty longing to joyful celebration.

Throughout their career, The Mavericks amassed loyal fans and critical acclaim. Their 1994 album broke through as a landmark release, and subsequent records showed that they refused to be pigeonholed. Malo’s songwriting and guitar playing helped craft tracks that felt like Latin ballads and country anthems in the same breath.

Even after the band’s 2000 hiatus, Malo remained restless, pursuing solo work as well as collaborations including time with the alt-roots supergroup Los Super Seven. When The Mavericks reunited in 2012 they proved their legacy was no flash in the pan. Albums like 2024’s “Moon & Stars” continued to reflect Malo’s restless creativity, his refusal to let genre confines define his music.

In the face of illness, Malo showed the same fierce commitment to music and authenticity that had defined his life. As word of his passing spread, tributes poured in from fans, fellow musicians, and cultural institutions. Many praised not only his voice and songwriting but his efforts to celebrate multilingual American music and promote music education for future generations.

He leaves behind his wife of 34 years, Betty Malo, their three sons, his mother and sister, former bandmates, collaborators and countless fans whose lives were touched by his songs and performances. In remembering Raul Malo, it is impossible to overlook the breadth of his legacy, a legacy carved out with a distinctive voice, daring fusion of cultures and genres, and an unshakable belief in the power of music to transcend boundaries. As his bandmates said in a tribute post “Anyone with the pleasure of being in Raul’s orbit knew that he was a force of human nature.”

He may be gone, but the echoes of his tenor linger in ears and hearts and his songs will continue to carry the spirit of a man who lived for music, love, and life.