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Published January 10, 2017
It’s hard to pick up where you left off. But for some people, it’s easier than others.
“Originally we were just going to do a tour,” said Mavericks' front man Raul Malo to Fox News Latino. “But I thought that didn’t seem like reason enough to bring back the band... I’m not ready to be categorized in the oldies category just yet.”
The Mavericks recently decided to make a full return after a decade-long hiatus, looking to recapture the glory that followed them throughout the 1990s. Its undefinable music, which includes a few tracks in Spanish, earned the band a Grammy award in 1995 for Best Country Performance.
Now the band is back on the road with the brand new music contained in their album released just last week, "In Time."
“We went in and made the record and it felt like picking up where we left off,” said Malo.
The album, released by indie label Big Machine Records, includes the classic sound that resonated on previous hits such as “There Goes My Heart” or “Dancing the Night Away.”
“We bring [into the studio] what we know, what we feel, what we’re about and somehow or another it gets thrown into this big pile,” said Malo. “We’ve always prided ourselves in doing what we feel is right.”
The Mavericks' formula has worked well with fans who may have a hard time categorizing the band's Tex-Mex, Cuban, pop, rock, country sound, but appreciate the band’s music and its Latino influence.
“There’s a reason The Mavericks' music is so eclectic, it’s hard to define what exactly it is,” said guitarist Eddie Perez. “That reason is the things we grew up listening to, the things that we were surrounded by.”
Perez grew up in East Los Angeles and is of Mexican heritage, while Malo is of Cuban descent and is from Miami.
The band's Latino influences stand out and the band couldn’t be any happier with that.
“I love me some Latino people,” said Malo. “I love when they come out to the shows and it’s fantastic… This is the country we live in and we’re all in it together.”
“We’re at a place now where we’re completely, boldly celebrating those roots as well,” said Perez.
I love me some Latino people, I love when they come out to the shows and it’s fantastic… This is country we live in and we’re all in it together.
The band’s latest release has been well received by some critics, with The Los Angeles Times calling it “uplifting.”
“To get that kind of feedback or return for your hard efforts… to have that kind of response is really special,” said Malo.
On a recent Tuesday night in New York City’s “City Winery,” The Mavericks were scheduled to play a short set to celebrate their release of “In Time.”
Before the show, Malo and other band members walked through the crowd shaking hands and signing autographs. They mingled, signing CD’s and taking pictures.
Around midnight they walked up on stage to play to a happy crowd, who came to see them play in an intimate setting.
After thanking everyone for their support –“we’re doing the Leno show this Friday,” Malo announced to the crowd and they broke out into applause– they started playing one of their new songs.
In between songs Malo jokingly played “Puff, The Magic Dragon” as the crowd and his band mates laughed.
Even at the end of the long day, the band seemed to still be enjoying what they do.
“There was unfinished business last time around,” said Perez. “We’re really out in a bold kind of way, not just to celebrate our friendship but this music we’re creating.”
Follow Victor Garcia on Twitter @MrVicGarcia.
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https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/the-mavericks-back-on-the-road-with-their-undefinable-latino-sound