From Miami to Nashville: The Mavericks’ Genre-Blending Journey

 In this episode of The Two for Tuesday Podcast, host Michael Pezent dives into the trailblazing story of The Mavericks—a band that reshaped 90s country music with a sound all their own. From Miami roots to Nashville fame, we explore their unique blend of country, rock, and Latin influences. Featuring deep dives into their two defining songs—“What a Crying Shame” and “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down”—this episode celebrates the voice of Raul Malo and the enduring legacy of a truly original American band. 

"Amazing Grace" performed by Michael Pezent from his album Foundations and Family.

Transcript

Night The Mavericks Break Through

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Late one night in 1994, a sultry croon echoes from a dimly lit honky tonk on Nashville's Lower Broadway. The song is What a Crying Shame, and the voice pouring through the speakers belongs to Raul Malo, a Cuban American with a rich tenor that soars like Roy Orbison's. As the final note rings out, a hush falls over the room, then raucous applause. Country DJs who moments ago had never heard of the Mavericks scramble to find out who this new band is. Little do they know, this quartet from Miami is about to rewrite the rules of 1990s country, infusing vintage honky tonk with Latin rhythms and rock and roll swagger. Their journey will take them from Florida bar rooms to the pinnacle of country music, powered by a sound as warm and wide open as the American highways they'll soon be traveling.

SPEAKER_01 1:04

Well, hello, friends, and welcome to the Two for Tuesday podcast brought to you by Second Round Music. I'm your host, Michael Present, and today we're exploring the extraordinary story of the Mavericks, the 1990s country band whose genre blending style made them true Mavericks by name and nature. Known for their eclectic mix of country tradition with rockabilly energy and Latin Flair, the Mavericks burst out of Miami to conquer Nashville and beyond. And in this episode, we'll retrace their full career trajectory from scrappy Florida upstarts, playing original songs in rock clubs, to Grammy-winning Nashville hitmakers, to adventurous reunions that continued expanding their sound. And along the way, we'll dive deep into two of their most defining songs, What A Crying Shame, and All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down. Through detailed song origins, studio insights, and cultural context, we'll see how these tracks shape the Mavericks legacy as country music trailblazers. Now we've got a lot of ground to cover and a lot of music to step through. But

Sponsor Message: Financial Coaching

SPEAKER_01 2:20

before we dive in, here's a quick word from our sponsor. Are you ready to take control of your finances and build a brighter future? Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired of feeling broke all the time? My name is Michael Putin, a certified master coach, and I created second round finance to provide personalized financial coaching based on the proven principles of Dave Randy. Our services include but are not limited to one-on-one financial coaching, conference, or fight, budgeting credit, reduction plan, emergency plan creation, retirement planning, and that's my guide. We believe in empowering our clients with the knowledge and tools they need to achieve financial feed. With our guidance, you'll get clarity over your financial future. Develop a realistic and achievable plan and experience open confidence in your financial future. I have over 15 years' experience teaching and guiding families in the Rams, along with a degree in finance and work experience in the banking and insurance industries. So let's get started today. Go to secondroundfinancial.com and click book now to schedule your free consultation today. And now we're back.

Miami Origins And Early Sound

SPEAKER_01 3:37

So let's get started at the beginning of the Mavericks journey. Now the story of the Mavericks doesn't begin in Nashville. It starts in the vibrant Latin and rock music scene of Miami, Florida. And it was there in 1989 that Raul Mollow, a son of Cuban immigrants, met Robert Reynolds, a bass player from Kansas City. And they bonded over their love of classic country and rock icons like Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash. Influences that would later echo in their music. Adding drummer Paul Deacon, a native Ohioan and friend of Reynolds, and guitarist Ben Peeler, the young band called themselves the Mavericks, and it was a name befitting their nonconformist spirit. And at the time when local country bars demanded cover songs, the Mavericks insisted on playing original material. So they gigged mostly in rock clubs around Miami, and their sound was already different. Milo's booming voice could croon a country ballad in one moment and wail a rockabilly rev up the next. Now while the band mixed Hillbilly Twang with Cuban rhythms in a way nobody had quite ever heard before. By 1990, the Mavericks self-released an independent album, and it generated enough local buzz to catch industry ears. And the big break came at a showcase in Nashville, where MCA Records executives were so impressed that they signed the band on the spot before the band even finished their sound check, as legend would have it. And suddenly this Miami bar band had gotten their shot at the country big leagues. Now the Mavericks major label debut album, From Hell to Paradise, back in 1992, hinted at their potential. It was produced partly in Miami's Criteria Studios. It included songs about immigrant struggles. The title track grew from Mollow's Caribbean heritage, alongside country covers, showcasing the band's social consciousness and root sensibilities. Critics took note. Entertainment Weekly praised their blend of Hillbilly Heart and Modern Muscle. But mainstream radio remained hesitant. A Hank Williams cover barely grazed the chart at number 74. And it was clear the Mavericks needed a defining hit of their own. And that hit arrived

MCA Deal And First Album

SPEAKER_01 6:15

with their third album, What a Crying Shame, back in 1994. Working with producer Don Cook, renowned for his work with Brooks and Dunn, the band polished their sound without losing its core. The album's blend of Rootsy Country and Vintage Pop elements marked the moment the Mavericks hit full stride. And in a savvy mood, Malo began co-writing with Costas, a national songwriter known for his neo-traditional country hits. And together they penned the album's title track, What a Crying Shame. Now this was a heartache song with an irresistible retro vibe. Initially radio programmers weren't sure what to make of Milo's soaring Orbanesque delivery and the song's fifties pop meets honky tonk style. But Milo and MCA, well they believed in the track. And he urged the label to keep promoting What a Cry and Shame through the winter holidays, confident its moment would come. And sure enough, by early nineteen ninety-four it caught fire, eventually climbing to number twenty five on Billboard's country chart. Now up north, Canadian fans sent it all the way up to the top ten. And the Mavericks had arrived. The What a Cry and Shame album proven to be of Smash and it spawned five radio singles and this infectious mix of weepers and rockers produced back to back hits. The bouncy Oh What a Thrill went even higher, up to eighteen in the US and then the top ten again in Canada. Followed by barroom favorites like There Goes My Heart. And by February of nineteen ninety-five the album was certified platinum in the US and double platinum in Canada. And for country music in the mid-90s, an era saturated with new voices, the Mavericks stood out with their throwback style and genre crossing appeal. And they racked up industry accolades as well. In 1994, the Academy of Country Music named them Top New Vocal Group. And a year later, they won the CMA's Vocal Group of the Year Award. Critics and peers marveled at Mollow's Velvet Voice and the band's musical range.

What A Crying Shame Era

SPEAKER_01 8:40

And at the 1995 Grammy Awards, What a Crying Shame earned the Mavericks their first Grammy nomination for Best Country Performance by a duo or a group. And the following year they won the Grammy for that category along with another song that we'll discuss a little later. And the Mavericks were now firmly established as one of country's most exciting groups. Now while What a Cry and Shame made them stars, the Mavericks refused to play it safe or to be pigeonholed. And their next album, Music for All Occasions, which was released in nineteen ninety-five, stretched their style even further. And Mollow's songwriting embraced playfulness and diversity. And the album even included the catchy cover of Something Stupid as a duet with Trisha Yearwood. The lead single, Here Comes the Rain, which is one of my favorites of theirs, was co-written by Costas. And it was a soulful, slow burn ballad, a heartbreak, that highlighted Milo's dramatic vocals. Now it only reached number twenty-two on the charts. And in early nineteen ninety-six, it did win the Mavericks a Grammy Award for Best Country Duo Group Performance, affirming their critical respect. But it was the second single from this album, All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down, that truly captured the Maverick spirit of fun and became their biggest commercial hit. And we'll take a deep dive into that song later in the episode. Suffice it to say, this rollicking Tex-Mex energy, driven by the legendary accordionist, had country audiences joyously dancing in the aisles in 1996. By the mid-1990s, the Mavericks were at their peak. Top ten hits in Canada, World Tours, CMA, and ACEM Vocal Group of the Year honors in both 1995 and 96, and they even contributed to movie soundtracks, a swinging cover of Blue Moon on Apollo 13 in 1995. Now on stage, the band earned a reputation as electrifying live performers, equally adept at delivering tear-in-your-beard ballads and high octane rockers. Ro Malo's voice, often compared to Roy Orbison for its vocal range and purity, could bring an audience to a pin drop silence or erupting in cheer. As one observer noted, Mollow might have the best male voice in music back then. A once in a generation instrument that gave the Mavericks their unique identity. Now I would definitely agree with that. Now after extensive touring, the Mavericks briefly took a break in late 1996, but Milo's creative restlessness wouldn't let him stay idle for long. And he experimented with pop standards in Nashville's club during the hiatus, and he was hinting at a broader palette that he wanted to explore. And the band reconvened to record the album Trampoline in 1998, which would be their boldest, most genre-defying album yet. And as drummer Paul Deakin later said, we didn't play it safe on these records. And indeed, Trampoline incorporated Latin saucer rhythms, horn sections, and lush pop orchestration into the Maverick sound. And the standout track was Dance

Awards, Momentum, And Range

SPEAKER_01 12:15

the Night Away. It was a jubilant Latin country dance song that became a surprise international hit. And while American Country Radio was lukewarm, because the song barely charted in the U.S., in the UK, Dance the Night Away shot to number four on the pop charts, introducing the Mavericks to a massive new audience. And in concert halls from London to Dublin, fans who had never heard of the Texas two steppering were now swaying to a Cuban Mambo beat under Mollow's spell. Trampoline and its genre fusing tracks proved the Mavericks could transcend country's boundaries. Even if venturing outside of the Nashville box came at a cost. As Roe Mollow Riley noted, when you venture outside the box, you're pretty much sealing your fate in the conservative country industry. And by 1999, despite critical acclaim, the band's relationship with N MCA Nashville had frayed. And Country Radio simply didn't know where to slot the group that could jump from a Tex-Mex polka to dreamy pop ballads, and the Mavericks parted ways with MCA that year. Releasing a greatest hits compilation, Super Colossal Smash Hits of the 1990s, as their swan song with the label. But in 2000, at what seemed to be their commercial height, the Mavericks disbanded and a result of burnout, creative tensions, and changes at the record label. Now Malo embarked on a solo career, delving into everything from vintage pop to Latin music on his own records. His incredible voice found new settings. From lush string back ballads to Latin jazz

Music For All Occasions Push

SPEAKER_01 14:10

and even an album of Spanish Beleros. Other members pursued their own projects for a while. Fans feared what a crying shame it was. You heard what I did there. Well, never mind. Fans feared what a crying shame it was that the innovative band's run had now ended too soon. But the story doesn't end there. True to their name, the Mavericks eventually wrote again. And a brief reunion in 2003 produced a self-titled album on a new label. And while that effort was short-lived, it laid the groundwork for what was to come. And in 2012, Milo Deakin and keyboardist Jerry Dale McFadden, now an official member after touring for many years, and guitarist Eddie Perez, who had joined the band in the early 2000s, reunited in full. Now this second reunion sparked a creative renaissance. And the band signed with Big Machines Valerie Label and released an album called In Time in 2013. And it was joyful, eclectic, and unmistakably Mavericks. If anyone thought that years apart may have mellowed them out a bit, one listening to Back in Your Arms, a track bursting with horns, Tex-Mex Accordion and Rockabilly Electricity proved that the Mavericks were as dynamic and daring as ever. And they followed it up with an album called Mono in 2015. And it was recorded in an old school mono sound. And they continued to tour relentlessly, wowing crowds across America and Europe with their tight musicianship and infectious energy. Now Tragedy and Triumph did visit the

Trampoline And Global Reach

SPEAKER_01 16:05

band in equal measure in the 2010s. Original bassist Robert Reynolds departed in 2014 amid personal struggles. But the Mavericks pressed on, adding new members to their touring lineup, and they received a wonderful acknowledgement of their genre crossing legacy in 2021 when they were honored with the Trailblazer Award at the Americana Music Honors and Awards. And it was a fitting tribute. The Mavericks had indeed blazed a trail that the Americana scene. Now that's a fusion of country, roots, rock, and other American styles, was now following. And in a full circle moment, the band soon explored a project very close to Room Milo's heritage. And in 2020, they released N Espino, an album that was entirely Spanish, reimagining diverse Latin classics in the Mavericks style. The record's rhythmic richness and heartfelt performances earned rave reviews, and it was as if all the threads of their musical identity had finally woven together into a brilliant tapestry. After thirty plus years, the Mavericks were still explorers, pushing boundaries of the genre, and proving music truly has no boundaries. But sadly, even as the band reached new creative heights, they faced a heartbreaking loss. And this is the reason I've tabled another episode to broadcast this topic today. On December 8, 2025, at 8 52 p.m., Ro passed away at the age of 60 after a battle with cancer. Now this news has stunned fans, me alike, and the music community. Mollow's voice, often called the greatest voice in modern popular music, was silenced far too soon. Yet his legacy lives on in every record and every song the Mavericks ever shared with the world. As we celebrate two of those defining songs next, we'll hear the echoes of a voice and a band that will forever be one of a kind. Now to understand the full impact of the Mavericks, let's dive into the first of our spotlight songs, the breakthrough hit that put 'em on the map. Now when the Mavericks released What a Cry and Shame in late 1993, it marked the moment their talents coalesced into a song that could stop listeners in their tracks. This aching mid-tempo ballad became the band's calling card and a cornerstone of 1990s country music. Now What a Cry and Shame was written by Roe Malu in collaboration with songwriter Costas Lazarides, known simply and professionally as Costas. And at the time Costus was a hot hand in Nashville, having

Label Friction And Hiatus

SPEAKER_01 19:15

penned hits for Patty Loveless and Dwight Yoakum and many others. And Malu's partnership with him was strategic. See, Mollow had a deep love for classic country heartbreaker songs, and Costus had a knack for crafting them. And according to country lore, the idea of what a cry and shame sprang from a simple, timeless feeling, the regret of lost love. Couched in a phrase so country perfect it could have been uttered by Hank Williams decades earlier. Oh what a cry and shame is the song's bitterly iconic hook. The narrator marvels that a love so true could fall apart so wrong.

unknown 19:59

My

SPEAKER_01 20:00

Malo has noted that he was influenced by the emotional drama of Roy Orbison's ballads when writing this track. Aim to create a song that builds from sorrowful croon to soaring climax. Indeed, the melody starts low and pensive and then leaps on octave when it hits the impassioned chorus line. Oh, what a crying shame to let it all slip away. A moment that gives goosebumps to this day. In terms of circumstances, What a Crying Shame was composed in nineteen ninety-three as the Mavericks prepared material for their first MCA Nashville album produced by Don Cook. And Mollow, then in his late twenties, was drawn on personal experiences of heartache and the struggles of musicians' life on the road. Now many accounts suggest that Costus and Mollow wrote the song in a rush of inspiration, perhaps in a Nashville writing room lined with gold records.

Reunions And Creative Renaissance

SPEAKER_01 21:00

A combination of Mollow's romantic sensibilities and Costas's traditional country chops yielded a song that sounds like an instant classic, as if it had been around forever. Even when it was still brand new. Now What a Crying Shame was recorded in August of 1993 at the Sound Shop recording studios in Nashville, Tennessee. And again, producer Don Cook oversaw the session, bringing in some of Nashville's finest session players to augment the band. In fact, though the Mavericks were a self-contained unit on stage, the recording of this track featured top-tier studio musicians to get the exact sound that Cook and Mollow envisioned. According to album credits, Brent Mason, one of Nashville's most renowned guitarists, and from my understanding, it has been said that Brent Mason is probably the most recorded session guitar player in the history of music. Now he played on this track and he laid down the electric guitar fills and twangy leads. While Bruce Barton played the pedal steel guitar that cries throughout the song. The band's new official lead guitarist Nick Kane had joined them, but since he came on board just as the album was being finished, Mason and the others handled all the guitars in the studio. Now Malo himself played an acoustic guitar and he guided the band through the arrangement that he had imagined. And vocally, Roll delivered one of the most captivating performances of his career on this track. And the engineers have noted that his voice was captured in a vintage Newman U sixty seven microphone, which gave him that warm classic tone and which was likely uh given back in the that era in that style of music. Now he reportedly sang live with the band in the studio rather than overdoing it later. To fully feel the band's groove and to convey the emotion in real time. And you could hear the subtle quiver in the his sustained notes. And that's the sound of a singer that's inhabiting the song's heartache. Now it's worth noting that the session was recorded and mixed on an analog tape, which was a common practice in 1993, which imparted a slight tape warmth. And it completed the song's vintage vibe. Now MCA Nashville released What a Crying Shame as the lead single and titled track from the album of the same name. And it first hit radio in November of 1993, right before the holiday season. And the full album followed on February first of nineteen ninety-four. And at that moment, Country Radio was dominated by both uh slick new country sounds and neo-traditionalists. And the Mavericks somehow straddled both of those camps. Initially the single moved slowly. Some radio programmers weren't sure if this throwback sound fit next to the likes of Garth Brooks or Reba McIntyre. But as 1994 dawned, listeners began to request the song. And what a cry and shame eventually rose to number 25 on the Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart in early 94. But in Canada, where the Mavericks quickly garnered a strong following, the song fared even better, reaching the top

Trailblazer Honors And En Español

SPEAKER_01 24:30

ten on the RPM Country Tracks chart. And meanwhile, What a Cry and Shame, the album was racing up the charts, peeking at number six on Billboard's country albums, and crossing over into the pop albums top forty chart. And the single became the group's first true hit and remained a radio playlist throughout the year. Now, as mentioned, the song earned the Mavericks their first Grammy nomination, and at the Grammy Awards in March of 1995 for the previous year's work, What a Crying Shame was up for Best Country Performance by a duo or group with a vocal. Now though it didn't win, just being nominated along Nashville's biggest name signaled that the Mavericks had arrived among the elite. And the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association also took note. The band was named Top Group by the ACM in 1994, surely boosted by the song's success. Hey guys, thank you for listening today, and I hope you're enjoying this podcast. If you are, please subscribe or follow the podcast, click the like button, share it with other music lovers, and please consider giving it a five-star rating so we can reach a bigger audience. Now back to the show. So let's flip the coin from sorrow to celebration as we delve into the rollicking, accordion-fueled anthem that became their biggest hit. Now by 1996, the Mavericks have proved that they could make you cry, but with all you ever do is let me down, they prove they

Remembering Raul Malo

SPEAKER_01 26:20

could make you dance. This infectious up tempo number remains the band's highest charting U.S. single, and it's a blend of country twang with text-mexed flair, and it's a perfect example of the Mavericks' fearless genre mixing. All you ever do is bring me down, was born out of a songwriting collaboration with Ro Molo and Al Anderson. Anderson, a former member of NRBQ, turned national songwriter, was known for his clever hooks and his bluesy bend. Legend has it that Mollow and Anderson wanted to write a good time barroom song with a twist. And the title came from a common phrase, the kind of thing someone might say about an exasperating lover. And they sensed that it would make a catchy, iconic refrain. And in writing sessions circa 1994 through 95, Malu and Anderson jammed on a rockabilly groove and quickly realized they had a text-mex feel. Milo, always eager to interject his Latin roots, leaned into that vibe. And they structured All You Ever Do is Me Bring Me Down as a playful call and response. Now the verses list the ways that the lover disappoints and the chorus delivers the punchline complaint, because all you ever do is bring me down. And despite the seemingly

Deep Dive: What A Crying Shame

SPEAKER_01 27:45

negative lyric, the mood of the song is exuberant, tongue in cheek, and essentially the narrator is so frustrated that he's decided to just to sing and swing through the blues. Inspiration for the song's feel came from Milo's love of Tex-Mex border music and the lively accordions of Flacco Jimines and the Texas Tornadoes, combined with the rockabilly shuffles of Buddy Holly. In fact, during the writing, Mollow reported, he said, This one needs Flacco. And indeed, he was right. All you ever do is bring me down was recorded during the sessions of the Music for All Occasions album back in March of 1995. And the studio was likely in one of Nashville's premier rooms, with Milo co-producing alongside Don Cook. And by now, the Mavericks had honed their studio process and even took on more production control. Milo knew that to get what get the authentic Tex Mex sound, they needed the real deal on the accordion. Enter Flacco Jiminez, the legendary Toronto accordionist from San Antonio. Flacco was a five-time Grammy winner and he played with everyone from the Texas Tornadoes to Dwight Yoakum. All you ever do is bring me down was released to Country Radio in January of 1996 as the second single from the music of all occasions. Following Here Comes the Rain in mid-1995. Now by this time, the Mavericks had momentum, and radio programmers were eager for an upbeat track from them. And the song quickly caught on. It debuted on the charts and climbed steadily from number 13 on the Billboard's Hot Country songs in the spring of 1996. That chart peak made it the Mavericks' highest charting US single ever. A feat more made more impressive by the fact that it was so unapologetically different from a typical country fair. And in Canada, the track also performed well, reinforcing the Maverick's string of hits up there. Now interestingly, the song achieved something rare. It introduced mainstream country audiences to accordion sounds without alienating. Now, as the San Antonio Express News noted, it was the only time Geminez appeared on the country singles chart. A crossover moment for Tex-Mex music into Nashville's world. Now that's a cultural milestone attributed to this track. Bring me Down rode the charts for many weeks and became a staple on jukeboxes and dance hall. And while it didn't cross over into the pop chart, it did make some minor appearances on the broader hot one hundred due to solid sales and airplay. Fans bought the CD single and the album, keeping music of all occasions at gold certification. In early 1997, all you ever do is bring me down, earn the Mavericks yet another Grammy nomination for Best Country Duo Group Performance. Following the previous year's win for Here Comes the Rain. And though again it didn't win, the competition was pretty tough in 97. The nomination underscored how the industry recognized the song's brilliant. Additionally, the song helped the Mavericks clinch a second CMA Vocal Group of the Year Award in 96 as their overall work for that year, including this hit, made them the toast of country music. For the Mavericks trajectory, Bring Me Down was the high water mark for their commercial success. And it proved that their instinct to color outside the lines could produce a hit that resonated widely. It also perhaps gave them the confidence to further explore their Latin side, which we see later with songs like Dance the Night Away and ultimately their Spanish album decades later. At the same time being their biggest hit, it somewhat defined them in the eyes of many casual fans. Ask a 90s country listener about the Mavericks, and nine times out of ten they'll mention Oh, the one with the accordion. What a fun song. The band, of course, had many dimensions, but this song's legacy is that of a joyous, distinctive classic. So there you have it. The story of the Mavericks. A band of Miami Misfits turned country music trailblazers, and the two songs that define their remarkable journey. We've seen how What a Cry and Shame introduced the world to Roe Mollow's Velvet Voice and the band's timeless songwriting, bringing classic country heartbreak back to the radio. And then we danced through All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down, the genre blending rock that fused Tex-Mex accordion with Nashville Twang and had us all smiling through the blues. Now through these songs, the Mavericks proved that music has no borders. They seamlessly blended hockey talk, rock and roll, and Latin rhythms, opening minds and bringing people together on the dance floor. Now their career was a tapestry of highs and lows, from Grammy Awards to sold-out tours to an eight-year hiatus and triumphant reunions. They stayed true to their name, always mavericks, blazing their own path. Even as country trends changed, the Mavericks carried on, infusing their later albums with newfound colors, yet never losing the heart that made them special. Roe Mollow's voice, often crawled,

Chart Impact And Recognition

SPEAKER_01 33:40

one of the greatest of his generation, remained the guiding star, and his passion echoes in every lyric he sang. Today fans around the world remember how the Mavericks music made them feel. The warmth of nostalgia, the urge to get up and dance, and the comfort of a song that understands your heartache. With Raoul's recent passing, there's a profound sadness, but also immense gratitude. We're grateful for the gifts he and the Mavericks gave us. The songs that can lift us up when we're lonely, or get us moving when life gets us down. The Mavericks legacy is secure in those melodies and memories. So thanks for joining me today on the Two for Tuesday podcast brought to you by Second Round Music and your host, Michael Pazent, where we take a deep dive into the artist, the stories, and the songs that shape the soundtrack of our lives. And remember we love you and we need you. And whether it's a soulful ballad reminding you of Love Lost or a swinging Texas Mambo getting your boots tapping, the Mavericks music lives on to uplift and unite us. Their sound was uniquely American in its diversity, and it'll continue to inspire artists and listeners for years to come. So as I leave you today, let me pass on my deepest condolences to Raul's wife, Betty, and the rest of the family. I thank you for allowing the rest of us to hear the incredible voice and musicianship of Raul. He brought much joy to our lives. May God bless you and bring you peace and comfort in the days to come. Raul, may you rest in peace, brother.