Raul Malo, front man of The Mavericks, was rushed to the hospital as he battles cancer on Dec. 4, a day before two nights of tribute shows at the Ryman Auditorium.
Amid Malo’s hospitalization, the tribute shows on Dec. 5 and 6 are set to proceed as planned.
“Our love is fighting hard right now but not a second goes by that he doesn’t appreciate all the love everyone shows him,” Betty Malo, Raul’s wife, posted on Facebook.
“The boys and I had to bring him to the ER earlier today but @raulmalo01 is stable and ready to fight,” Betty Malo continued.
“We are all excited for @theryman shows and hope everyone enjoys them! Raul has changed many lives and his music has brought so much love to so many people. Let’s all stand with him and rally!!!!”
What to know about Raul Malo’s cancer battle
Malo, a Grammy Award-winning artist who has been performing with The Mavericks for 35 years, shared he was diagnosed with colon cancer in June 2024.
Shortly after, the “Dance the Night Away” singer underwent liver tumor surgery and chemotherapy.
Malo later shared the cancer had progressed to leptomeningeal disease (LMD), a complication of advanced cancer where fluid surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Malo said he received specialized treatment at MD Anderson in Houston.
In September, Malo and the band announced they would be canceling all shows moving forward, with a few exceptions, including the two nights of tribute shows at the Ryman.
“But I want to let everybody know, I am in no way alone, or scared,” Malo posted on social media in September.
“I have an amazing wife and boys, wonderful family, team, road crew, band, friends and fans. I don’t even have enough words to describe the love and support that I’m getting right now.”
Who’s performing at Ryman shows to honor Raul Malo, The Mavericks
On Dec. 5 and 6, the Ryman is hosting “Dance the Night Away: A 35 Year Musical Legacy Celebration Honoring Raul Malo.”
The shows will honor the band’s decadeslong career and their contributions to country and Latin music with a lineup of artists who will perform tunes from The Mavericks’ catalog.
The event will feature appearances from Chuck Mead, Cimafunk, Emily West, Hector Tellez Jr., Jaime Hanna, James Otto, Jamey Johnson, JD McPherson, Jeff Hanna, Jesse Dayton, Jim Lauderdale, Jimmie Vaughan, Joshua Ray Walker, Maggie Rose, Mandy Barnett, Marty Stuart, Nicole Atkins, Nikki Lane, Patty Griffin, Ray Benson, Seth Walker, Steve Earle, Sweet Lizzy Project, Wade Hayes, Waylon Payne, Wendy Moten and more.
Malo, though not scheduled to perform, planned to attend the event with his family.
To learn more about the event, visit ryman.com/event/2025-mavericks.
Audrey Gibbs is a music journalist at The Tennessean. You can reach her at agibbs@tennessean.com.
