Photo by Alejandro Menéndez Vega
Audio By Carbonatix
When the Mavericks singer and guitarist Raul Malo passed away last December of colon cancer, most fans of Miami’s greatest ever country band figured they’d have to watch YouTube clips if they wanted to see the Mavericks again in a live setting. But on Cinco de Mayo The Mavericks announced they’d be going on tour this summer and autumn on the Music Lives On Tour, which includes a September 11 date at Fort Lauderdale’s Parker Playhouse.
Though there’s no replacing the rich voice and stage presence of Malo, the band has turned to James Otto and Emily West to provide vocals on the tour. Both artists performed with the Mavericks at a tribute concert for Malo held at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium just days before Malo’s death.
Drummer Paul Deakin, who is the only original Maverick from back when the band started in Miami in 1989, said in the tour announcement press release, “James Otto and Emily West are undeniable talents. We were fortunate to have them on our tribute show at the Ryman and they both gave standing ovation performances. Add to that their love and respect for Raul, and The Mavericks made them our top choice to come on the road with us for this first leg of The Music Lives On Tour. We are lucky to have them and we are looking forward to many memorable, joyous nights on stage with them celebrating Raul and the legacy of The Mavericks.”
As mentioned earlier, the Mavericks got their start right here in the 305. They played their first ever gig at Churchill’s on December 8, 1989, 36 years to the day of Malo’s death. Their debut self-titled album was released in 1990 by the local independent record label Y&T Music. The band, with their distinctive gumbo of Latin, Country, and Roy Orbison, had them hit the big time after an early ’90s move to Nashville. They released thirteen records, many of which charted and won a Grammy along the way for best country performance.
Even though Malo ended up spending more of his years in Nashville than he did in Miami, he always held a special place in his heart for his hometown. He told New Times in a 2024 interview, “I’m grateful to all the people who supported us. We had a lot of love and a lot of people rooting for us. We weren’t the normal thing down here. This was Gloria Estefan’s town back then, and we were doing something completely different.”
Guest vocalist James Otto said in the press release that he thinks this tribute tour is what Malo would have wanted. “I believe in my heart Raul would want the band and the music he spent a lifetime creating to play on. I’m really looking forward to playing all this incredible music and meeting all the fans out on tour.”
The Mavericks and Friends. 7 p.m. Friday, September 11, at Parker Playhouse, 707 NE 8th St., Fort Lauderdale; parkerplayhouse.com. Tickets available via bandsintown.com.
