Raul Malo, the frontman of The Mavericks, died at the age of 60 in Dec. 2025 from cancer. Despite this immeasurable loss, the Grammy Award-winning band has announced it will continue.
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In a message shared on social media today, the group shared that it will embark on a tour this summer with two new vocalists.
Who Is Replacing Raul Malo?
In the message, the remaining members of The Mavericks, Eddie Perez, Paul Deakin, and Jerry Dale McFadden, shared that after the death of Malo, they wanted "to find a way to heal.' They said the best way they knew how to do this was to perform.
"Music is the medicine," they wrote.
The band has enlisted the help of James Otto and Emily West to serve as guest vocalists. Both of them have worked with the band before.
"When we did our two Tribute Shows to Raul back in December at the Ryman Auditorium, James and Emily stole the show both nights," the band wrote.
The Mavericks Know Malo Can "Never" Be Replaced
As the band works to ensure "the music lives on," its remaining members recognize the challenge of performing without Malo.
"The immeasurable loss of our leader, friend and irreplaceable brother Raul has been as difficult as you can imagine," they wrote. "We know that we can never replace Raul... but we can still, in bold spirit, continue to play this joyous music, and celebrate The Mavericks' legacy together."
Malo co-founded The Mavericks in Miami in 1989. It rose to prominence in the 1990s, blending country with Latin, pop, and folk, among other genres. "What A Crying Shame" and "Here Comes The Rain" were among the group's biggest hits.
In addition to its numerous hits, the band won numerous awards, including Grammys, a CMA Award, and an ACM Award.
"Anyone with the pleasure of being in Raul's orbit knew that he was a force of human nature, with an infectious energy," the band wrote in tribute to Malo after his death. "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 Mavericks kick off their tour on July 17 in Kansas City, Missouri. Click here to learn more.
