The Mavericks

Fusing traditional country with traditional rock & roll, the Mavericks became one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful groups of the early '90s. Led by singer/songwriter Raul Malo (born August 7, 1965, Miami, FL), the band was formed in Florida in the late '80s. Malo had previously played in several different bands while he was in high school, as did bassist Robert Reynolds (born Robert Earl Reynolds, April 30, 1962, Kansas City, MO). The pair met at school and discovered they had similar musical tastes -- they both enjoyed the music of Roy Orbison, Patsy Cline, Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, and Johnny Cash -- and decided to form a band. Reynolds persuaded his best friend, Paul Deakin (born Paul Wylie Deakin, September 2, 1959, Miami, FL) -- who had been a drummer in progressive rock bands before and had done some session work -- to join the fledgling country band.

Taking the name the Mavericks, the band began playing rock clubs around the Miami area and built up a solid local following. The group chose to play rock clubs because the country bars only wanted to book bands that played covers and the Mavericks preferred to concentrate on original material. In the fall of 1990, the band released an eponymous independent album. The record worked its way onto play lists across Florida and made its way to Nashville, where it gained the attention of nearly every major record label.

In May of 1991, the group went to Nashville to play a showcase gig. Scouts from all of the town's major labels were in attendance, but the band decided to sign with MCA Records. Later that year, the Mavericks set about recording their first major-label album; before the sessions began, they added lead guitarist David Lee Holt, who had previously played with Joe Ely, Rosie Flores, and Carlene Carter. Titled From Hell to Paradise, the record primarily consisted of Malo's original songs and was released in 1992. Although it was critically acclaimed, the album wasn't a commercial success; only a cover of Hank Williams' standard "Hey Good Lookin'" made the charts and that peaked at number 74.

The Mavericks' commercial fortunes turned around with their second major-label album, What a Crying Shame. Produced by Don Cook (Brooks & Dunn, Mark Collie), the album was more streamlined and focused. It became a hit upon its release early in 1994, with the title track becoming a Top 40 hit. Shortly after the release of What a Crying Shame, the group replaced Holt with Nick Kane (born Nicholas James Kane, August 21, 1954, Jerusalem, GA).

Throughout 1994, the band racked up Top 40 hit singles. "O What a Thrill" went to number 18 in the summer, with "There Goes My Heart" reaching number 20 in the fall. By the spring of 1995, What a Crying Shame had gone platinum. During the first half of 1995, the Mavericks recorded their fourth album, Music for All Occasions, which appeared in the fall of the year. Like its predecessor, it was critically acclaimed and a commercial success. By the spring of 1996, the album had gone gold. Trampoline followed in 1998; easily the group's most musically ambitious set to date, Trampoline's blend of pop and Latin textures didn't connect with the mainstream country audience in the United States, though the album (and it's first single, "Dance The Night Away") proved to be a major success in the United Kingdom. The Mavericks soon found themselves at loggerheads with their record company, and they parted ways with MCA. The group went on hiatus for several years, with Malo releasing a solo album in 2001 and recording with the Latino supergroup Los Super Seven, while Robert Reynolds played on sessions with the group Swag. In 2003, the group re-assembled- -- with guitarist Eddie Perez replacing Nick Kane -- and recorded a self-titled set for Sanctuary Records; a live album and DVD, recorded in Austin, TX on the group's subsequent tour, arrived in the fall of 2004.

from Wikipedia:

The Mavericks is a country music band founded in 1989 in Miami, Florida, United States. Between 1991 and 2003 they recorded six studio albums, in addition to charting 14 singles on the Billboard country charts. Their highest-peaking American single was 1996's "All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down", a collaboration with accordionist Flaco Jiménez.

After the band split up in 2003, lead singer Raul Malo became a solo artist. Robert Reynolds has released two solo EPs, 'Audrey In A Dream' & 'The Wintersky Works', co-founded a 'sort-of-supergroup' called SWAG - releasing the album Catchall, and performs with fellow member Paul Deakin in various groups.

In October 2011, the group announced plans to reunite for a tour in 2012.

Band history

Raul Malo met bassist Robert Reynolds at a record store in Florida and discovered they had similar musical tastes (such as Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline). Reynolds persuaded his friend Paul Deakin to join them on drums and by the late 1980s they had added guitarist Ben Peeler and were performing as the Mavericks. Writing much of the material, and being a versatile singer, Raul Malo was a driving force behind the band.

They began playing their own material in rock clubs in the Miami area, as country venues tended to only want bands that played covers. Malo wrote all the material for their 1991 debut album, The Mavericks.

In 1991, the band was signed by MCA Nashville and their first major label release, From Hell to Paradise, debuted in 1992. Guitarist Ben Peeler was replaced by David Lee Holt, who was, in turn, replaced by Nick Kane in 1994.

They released the more poppy What a Crying Shame (#54 US, #6 Country and Western) in 1994, which spawned the Top 20 Country and Western hits "There Goes My Heart" and "O What a Thrill." Music for All Occasions (#58 US, #9 C&W, #56 UK) was released in 1995, and included the hits "Here Comes the Rain" (#22 C&W) and "All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down" (#13 C&W).

Also in 1994, The Mavericks teamed up with Carl Perkins and Duane Eddy to contribute "Matchbox" to the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Country produced by the Red Hot Organization.

Their 1998 album Trampoline was a smash hit in the UK Albums Chart, reaching #10 and yielding a #4 UK hit in "Dance the Night Away", and "I've Got This Feeling" (#27 UK) and "Someone Should Tell Her" (#45 UK). However, in the US it was less successful, reaching #96 pop and #9 C&W.

1999 saw them split from MCA after Trampoline did not sell well in the US and their songs failed to get radio airplay. They released a greatest-hits compilation, Super Colossal Smash Hits of the 90's: The Best of The Mavericks which hit #40 in the UK but failed to chart in the US. In 2003, the band reunited. Guitarist Eddie Perez joined the band.

They recorded a new album The Mavericks which hit #65 in the UK, but, like its predecessor, flopped in the US. They split up shortly afterwards, Raul Malo going on to a solo career.

In September 2004, Sanctuary Records came out with a live concert DVD of The Mavericks' performance at Stubbs Barbecue in Austin, Texas. In the past several years, Eddie Perez has been touring with Dwight Yoakam as his lead guitarist and has appeared on his recording of Dwight Sings Buck.

Awards

Academy of Country Music Awards

1994

Top New Vocal GroupTop Vocal Group

1995

Top Vocal Group

Country Music Association Awards

1995

Vocal Group of the Year

1996

Vocal Group of the Year

Grammy Awards

1995

Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal

Best known line-up

Raul Malo - Lead vocals, guitars (born August 7, 1965)Robert Reynolds - Bass, vocals (born April 30, 1962)Paul Deakin - Drums, vocals (born September 2, 1959)Nick Kane - Lead guitar, vocals (born August 21, 1954)

Official videography

Officially released films featuring the Mavericks are listed with their original release dates.

2004 The Mavericks: Live in Austin Texas, directed by Michael Drumm (DVD - Sanctuary Records Group)2004 The Best of the Mavericks: The DVD Collection (DVD - MCA Nashville)