The Mavericks were arguably the most unlikely band ever to emerge from South Florida. Led by a Cuban-American with a love for classic country music and an appreciation for the traditional sounds borne by his Hispanic heritage, the Mavs gained a rabid following in a place where Americana was not the norm.
Regardless, singer, songwriter and front man Raul Malo has seen his personal fortunes skyrocket ever since, both solo and in the company of Los Super Seven and various other ad-hoc combinations. With a deep baritone that combines the pathos of Roy Orbison, the sneer of Elvis Presley, and the quiet dignity of Johnny Cash, he's become a singer for all seasons, equally adept at a cocktail croon, sassy salsa, a rockabilly rave-up, or simply a heartbreaking ballad.
So while it may not have been as earth shattering an announcement as the Beatles opting to reunite (no matter that two of the original four are no longer with us), or, even more miraculously, congress deciding to get along, the band's decision to reconvene a couple of years ago was decidedly unexpected. The surprise wasn't the result of Malo's solo success -- even though his stock was soaring -- but more specifically, the comments he shared with yours truly a couple of years ago about the release of Lucky One, one of half a dozen individual efforts he released in the past decade.
"Honestly, I don't miss the Mavericks," he remarked at the time. "The Mavericks are a bittersweet memory for me. There are a lot of great memories and there are also a lot of shit memories. And things didn't end so happily. It's not like we're all great friends. It ended in ugly lawsuits that cost me a lot of money, and it caused a lot of pain and suffering for my family and my kids. And it was all needless and it was all pointless. So I'm honestly glad it's over."
