Raul Malo, frontman and founder of the genre-crossing roots-rock band The Mavericks passed away on Monday at the age of 60. For the last year and a half, the smooth-voiced tenor battled colon cancer that metastasized into leptomeningeal disease (wherein the cancer spreads into the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord). Just last weekend, The Mavericks organized two celebratory concerts at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville that included more than two dozen special guests including Steve Earle, Nicole Atkins, JD McPherson, Jim Lauderdale, Joshua Ray Walker, Cimafunk, and more. The two gigs are available as livestreams via Nugs.
Malo's musical impact can't be overstated, as he blended his own Cuban-American roots with Tex-Mex and Tejano, classic country music, jazz, and full-steam-ahead rock 'n' roll over the course of 35 years. Together, The Mavericks released 13 studio albums and as a solo artist, Malo released an additional nine.
But his gregariousness, generosity, and joy crossed boundaries as much as his music, as illustrated by the sheer number of tributes posted over the week and the depth of their sentiments. Check out a number of them below:
To read more about Malo and The Mavericks, check out the band's Spotlight feature and Spotlight photo essay from November 2019. Additionally, read Malo's closing "Screen Door" essay from the Winter 2020 "All Together Now" issue here. A funeral service will take place on December 18th in Nashville. More information can be found here, and donations in his honor can be sent to MusicCares or Blackbird Academy.
Singer-songwriter Steve Poltz announced his 14th studio album, JoyRide, due out January 30, 2026 via Red House Records. He said the following about lead single "If It Bleeds, It Leads" in a press release:
‘If It Bleeds, It Leads’ was so much fun to record because it was challenging — and I love a good challenge,” says Steve Poltz. “I used Emmylou Harris’ rhythm section: Bryan Owings on drums and Christopher Donohue on bass. Dex Green played this weird-sounding keyboard that added to the whole vibe, along with my acoustic guitar. I wrote the song after watching the news with some people who were yelling at the TV screen. I had to leave the room and immediately write this song.
A couple months ago, Theo Lawrence and Melissa Carper released a new single (ND story), leading up to the announce of their full LP of duets titled HAVIN’ A TALK. The album is set to come out February 6 via Warner Records.
Mumford & Sons announced a new album titled Prizefighter, due out February 13, 2026 via Glassnote Records. The record arrives just months after RUSHMERE, which came out in March. The title track is available now, co-written with Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) and Aaron Dessner (The National).
Tyler Childers released a 10-minute mini-documentary about the making of his massive new record, Snipe Hunter. Read No Depression's review here and watch the video below.
Markéta Irglová, Icelandic singer-songwriter and one-half of The Swell Season, released a new single titled "Nameless Children." As she described in a press release:
I feel this song is an attempt to process my own difficulty with watching certain things happening in the world. It's heartbreaking to witness families everywhere being torn apart by war, senseless conflicts, and violence. I mean the song to be humanitarian. In response to these events — and perhaps out of a feeling of helplessness — we argue about the politics involved in choosing a side, and the world grows more divided in the process.
Finally, the Western States Center (WSC) released a free resource titled "Are You Ready If Immigration Enforcement Shows Up at Your Venue?" in order to try to support venues, performers, fans, and culture workers. WSC, a nonprofit organization that "envisions inclusive democratic movements and societies rooted in justice and equity," has worked with roots musicians like Ana Egge, who wrote about her experiences in one of their programs for No Depression here.
Although the WSC webpage is clear to note that the resource "is not legal advice," a staff member of the nonprofit confirms that, "it has been legally reviewed for accuracy. It offers concrete information, including how to identify who is at your door, what warrants mean, staff training considerations, public/private space distinctions, response protocols, and how to connect with local immigration rights partners." Additionally, WSC will be hosting a webinar on Tuesday, January 14, 2026 at 10am PST/1pm EST to review the resource. Registration is required.
WHAT WE'RE LISTENING TO:
Lael Neale - "Blue Vein" (via La Blogothèque)
Vandoliers - "Together We Will Sink or Swim"
Haiver - "So Slow"
Old Sea Brigade - "If You Had to Ask"
Glen Hansard, Lisa O'Neill, and The Pogues - "Fairytale of New York"
COMING IN JANUARY 2026
Mon Rovia - Bloodline
The James Hunter Six - Off The Fence
John McCutcheon and Tom Paxton - Together Again
Julian Lage - Scenes From Above
Langhorne Slim - The Dreamin' Kind
The Lowest Pair - Always As Young As We’ll Ever Be
Emily Scott Robinson - Appalachia
Tyler Ballgame - For the First Time, Again
Lucinda Williams - World’s Gone Wrong
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