 Some bands embody a genre. Some bands embody a place. A few bands transcend both genre and place to embody an entire era. The Mavericks -- four guys with outlandish costumes and a penchant for speaking their minds (occasionally in foreign languages) -- may be the most unlikely band to come out of Nashville in the 1990s. But after ten years, four million records, three Academy of Country Music awards, two Country Music Association awards, and one Grammy, they are certainly the most important band to come out of Nashville this decade. The Mavericks' breakthrough mix of honky-tonk guitar licks from the Mississippi Delta, South Beach-influenced Latin energy, and occasional hors d'oeuvres from Rat Pack-era Las Vegas have made them the signature band for a new kind of Nashville sound: a countrypolitan mix of cowboy hats and red-velvet smoking gowns. Martini country: where all the music will make you dance -- swing, two-step, salsa, shag -- and all the drinks are on the house. "I feel better about the band today than I have in two or three years," says bass player Robert Reynolds, who along with singer-songwriter Raul Malo, and drummer Paul Deakin, formed the Mavericks in Miami, Florida in 1989. Guitarist Nick Kane joined them in 1993. "There's a peace that's formed as partners and as individuals," Reynolds says. "We made the 10-year mark and we're comfortable. We can make records the way we want, when we want. We've got a new team working with the group. There's an energy and a vigor we haven't had for years." From the beginning the Mavericks challenged convention. Originally their music verged on proto rock-and- roll as they mixed roots icons like Roy Orbison, Hank Williams, and Johnny Cash into their own version of throwback country. The result was a critically acclaimed first album, From Hell to Paradise (MCA, 1992), which contained a spellbinding title cut about Malo's urban roots and their signature ballad, "This Broken Heart." For their new material, the band has blended elements from various parts of their career. "I think what happened was we fell in love again with the roots stuff," says Reynolds. "Now we're merging the swing and the horns with Buck Owens, Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson."
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