Raul Malo, the charismatic lead singer of the Latin-country band the Mavericks, has passed away at the age of 60.
His sad demise was confirmed through the band’s official Instagram account in an statement on Tuesday, December 9.
“It’s with the deepest grief we share the passing of our friend, bandmate and brother Raul Malo. Anyone with the pleasure of being in Raul’s orbit knew that he was a force of human nature, with an infectious energy,
the statement reads.
It continued, “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.”
“Though his earthly body may have passed, Raul’s spirit will live on forever in heaven, and here on earth through the music, joy, and light he brought forth. His contributions to American and Latin music will be everlasting, as his songs and voice touched fans and fellow artists around the world,” the statement added.
Malo’s wife, Betty, also paid tribute to her late husband in a heartfelt post revealing that he died on Monday night, after being hospitalized.
The legendary singer was diagnosed with colon cancer, last year. Despite his diagnosis, he continued performing with the Mavericks until September, when he announced he had developed leptomeningeal disease (LMD).
Born in 1965, Raul Malo co-founded the Mavericks alongside drummer Paul Deakin and bassist Robert Reynolds in 1989.