Business

Mavericks’ Performance at Adrienne Arsht Center

Raul Malo may now call Nashville his home, however, he traces the roots of his success as the frontman of The Mavericks, back to his formative years in South Florida. His band’s string of achievements, including three top-ten country charting albums and a Grammy award for “Best Country Performance,” are firm reminders of their musical prowess. Despite these accomplishments in the country genre, Malo sees The Mavericks as a rock ‘n’ roll band, something that inherently reflects their spirit. Their sound is infused with the elements of jazz, big band and Cuban music.

At the age of eight, Raul Malo was already engrossed in music, plucking at the strings of a guitar. His educational journey at Rockway Middle School in Westchester was instrumental in nurturing his musical abilities. He is appreciative for the experience of being part of a full-fledged orchestra in a public school setting and reminisces about his growth from a cacophonous first-year participation to a more harmonious performance the next year.

Malo’s teenage years saw him involved in a number of local rock bands, honing his skills on the bass and developing an ear for harmonization. At 19, he found the confidence to start penning songs and, by the year 1989, The Mavericks was birthed.

Reflecting on the formative years of the band, Malo speaks fondly about their inaugural gig at Churchill’s and their time playing in the then-nascent South Beach. His friend managed a basement rock ‘n’ roll club located at the current site of the Delano Hotel.

A performance at Cactus Cantina captivated record shop owner, Rich Ulloa, who then offered The Mavericks a deal with his label, Y&T. The deal resulted in a self-titled debut album released in January 1991. By the next spring, The Mavericks already had an offer from a major label.

The early ’90s saw The Mavericks relocate to Nashville, an intermittently interrupted journey that has, so far, yielded a dozen albums. Their 13th studio album, Moon & Stars, set for a release on May 17, was birthed out of the global pandemic and worldwide discord.

Malo’s songwriting process is influenced by the happenings around him, such as the gun violence issue which inspired the song “Look Around You”. The Mavericks are set to perform at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, and attendees can anticipate a blend of new songs and fan favorites. The Mavericks. 8 p.m. Friday, March 15, at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-949-6722; arshtcenter.org. Tickets cost $45 to $115.