Country music star gives grim update on cancer diagnosis: ‘Things have taken a turn’

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Raul Malo, the lead singer of The Mavericks, recently shared difficult news about his battle with stage 4 colon cancer. He’s been in and out of the hospital for treatment since receiving his diagnosis last year.

Hey everyone, I wanted to share something personal with you. I recently found out I’m dealing with leptomeningeal disease. Basically, it means cancer cells have spread to the membranes around my brain and spinal cord. I’m a pretty open person, so I shared a little video of me playing guitar – music always helps! – and wanted to let you know what’s been going on. It’s a complication of cancer, but I’m facing it head-on and staying positive.

Raul shared an update with his followers on Instagram, explaining that things have changed. He noted that cancer is unpredictable and doesn’t discriminate, as is often the case with the disease.

Okay, so I’ve got this… thing. I call it LMD – seriously, it’s like “get this stuff out of my head” because that’s *exactly* what it feels like! I’m starting radiation tomorrow, which is… a big step. Then probably chemo, ugh. We’re even looking into all sorts of other stuff, anything that might help, honestly. I just want this gone.

I’ve been realizing I need to prioritize rest and recovery, so that’s exactly what I’m going to do now.

Due to health issues, Malo has had to cancel all upcoming performances with his band. They have announced that they will no longer be touring or playing shows.

The lead singer and guitarist of Without a Word said they plan to keep creating music, sharing live performances, selling merchandise, and continuing with their project, Trovador, among other things.

I’m grateful to Dwight Yoakam, his band, and everyone working with him for being so supportive this year. I’m really disappointed we weren’t able to complete the tour as intended.

Raul has asked fans to keep their tickets for The Maverick’s shows on December 5th and 6th at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, as they’re working on a special announcement about those dates that should be coming soon.

We’re not sure what the future holds in a couple of months, but we’re approaching this situation with the same energy and determination we always do – giving it our all,” Malo added.

It’s been a cycle of pushing forward, healing, resting, and starting all over again. I’m so grateful for everyone’s amazing support during this time, and I apologize for having to cancel things, but we really don’t have another option.

Let me tell you, after all these years in the music industry, I’ve learned the importance of a strong support system. And for Mono Mundo Recordings’ founder, that absolutely starts with his incredible wife, Betty Malo – they’ve been together for 33 years! But it doesn’t stop there. He’s also surrounded by a fantastic team – his road crew, bandmates, friends, and of course, the fans – they’re all a huge part of his journey.

Raul also has love and support from his three sons – Dino, Vincent, and Max.

‘I want to let everybody know, I am in no way alone, or scared,’ Malo wrote.

‘Your love, prayers, and well wishes have not gone unnoticed.’

Next January, the founder of Trovador Inspirado, who had liver surgery last December, will have surgery to fix a hernia caused by a previous procedure.

The Mavericks last performed on July 6 at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, TX.

This Miami-based band, formed in 1989, now gets around 666,000 listeners each month on Spotify and has appeared on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart 15 times.

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2025-09-25 22:50