The Mavericks’ Raul Malo Shares Health Update Amid Ongoing Cancer Battle

On Wednesday (September 24), Raul Malo, lead singer of The Mavericks, provided an update on his colon cancer battle, which he was diagnosed with back in 2024. Malo revealed that he has developed Leptomeningeal Disease (LMD), a serious condition involving cancer spreading to the brain and spinal cord membranes, and he will soon begin radiation and chemotherapy, while possibly exploring alternative treatments. While all upcoming tour dates, including the band’s shows with Dwight Yoakam, are canceled to focus on his health, The Mavericks plan to continue non-touring projects like releasing live recordings and selling merchandise, and hope to perform at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in December. “I want to let everybody know, I am in no way alone, or scared,” Malo shared. “I don’t even have enough words to describe the love and support that I’m getting right now. We don’t know what this will look like a couple months from now, but we are going into it like we have with everything else. Full steam ahead. Fight, recover, rest, repeat.” (Billboard)