Overview
- The Mavericks confirmed his December 8 death on Instagram, citing the colorectal cancer he had previously disclosed and discussed during radiation treatments.
- Malo fused country with Latin and Cuban styles, won a 1996 Grammy for Here Comes the Rain, and recorded hits including Dance the Night Away and All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down.
- He remained active into 2025 with performances this past summer and highlighted the band’s all-Spanish 2020 album En Español alongside his solo work.
- The band hailed him as “a force of human nature,” while coverage in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times emphasized his boundary-pushing influence on the genre.
- Reports say his wife, Betty, shared the news on social media, and he is survived by her and their three children, as Nashville paid tribute with concerts at the Ryman Auditorium in early December.