Benny Moré was born Bartolomé Maximiliano Moré Gutiérrez in Santa Isabel de las Lajas in 1919. He started singing professionally around 1945 when he joined the Conjunto Matamoros. In 1952 he formed his own band, which he called El Bárbaro del Ritmo.
His voice had a particular warmth and flexibility that worked across different Cuban styles. You can hear it in songs like 'Bonito y Sabroso' from 1950, which became one of his most recognizable recordings, and in the bolero 'Como Fue.' Other tracks like 'Mucho Corazón' and 'Maracaibo Oriental' show his range within the son and guaracha traditions.
He died in 1963 at age 44. The musicians who played in his band included pianist Chucho Valdés and conguero Tata Güines.
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