Raul Malo inspired by U.S. Troops records “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”
Brian O'Neal
Posted On December 13, 2011
When singer/songwriter/guitarist Raul Malo recorded an updated version of the old Christmas standard “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” he was inspired by the presidential candidates’ alarming political assault criticizing the return of U.S troops from Iraq. Malo probably didn’t expect what would happen next.
As it turns out, Malo’s performance of the song in Alexandria, VA, just outside Washington D.C. inspired audience member Frank Thorp, a U.S. Navy Real Admiral and Senior Vice President Marketing and Communications.
“He was blown away by the story and is going to send the video out to all their affiliates,” said Malo. Malo’s aim to express the country’s gratitude to the troops arriving home for the holidays in the face of criticism from Presidential candidates’ political posturing.
Malo now performs the song with a newly found motivation as part of his annual holiday tour, currently making its way through the East and Midwest. A video was recently recorded at a studio in Franklin, TN.
“We made this video because we just felt like we had to do something to let the troops know that, politics aside, the country is indebted to them for their service. “The embarrassments and the failures are the politicians,” said Malo.
An exciting year for Raul Malo is about to wrap up. He began the year touring behind his Sinners & Saints release, which brought the Florida native and current Nashville resident into the studio with Texas musicians he’s come to know (Ray Benson, Texas Tornados, The Trishas). The year ended with a major announcement about the Grammy Award-winning Mavericks — for whom he was frontman — reuniting at the Stagecoach Festival in April 2012 following a nine-year hiatus.
But before 2012 winds to a close, Malo will travel the East Coast and Midwest with his annual Holiday Tour, accompanied by a full band. The 14-city tour will take him to such cities as Washington DC, Baltimore, Chicago, Wilmington, Pittsburgh, Ann Arbor, St. Louis and Kansas City, as well as many smaller towns.
As did his former band, the alt-country Mavericks, Raul Malo has pushed beyond musical borders. Sinners & Saints was rooted in his life-long connection to Latin music, but infused with his wide-ranging love of country, blues, jazz and vintage rock ’n’ roll.
It’s not surprising that he has been the recipient of much favorable press — as the indie-rock ’zine Blurt aptly noted, “With the voice he owns, Malo doesn’t have to show off. He merely has to paint the musical pictures in his head, and the effect will be lovely.”
Our troops should know.
