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Beny More

Beny Moré - Afro-Cuban Singer Beny Moré embodies the best of Cuban music, its rhythm, its soul, its humor, and its joy. He is the greatest singer ever to emerge from Cuba, and is regarded as the benchmark for all Cuban soneros. One of nineteen children, Bartolomé Maximiliano Moré, was born on August 24, 1919 in a poor neighborhood named Pueblo Nuevo, in the town of Santa Isabel de las Lajas in the province of Las Villas. He was an extroverted illiterate, always showing the charisma that would accompany him throughout his life, and he was happy in spite of the abject poverty in which he grew up. It was all he knew. As a child he taught himself the guitar and would sing at parties, gatherings and Afro- Cuban religious ceremonies. After living in Santa Isabel de las Lajas during his early years, he eventually went to the province of Camagüey where he worked in the sugar mills, often singing boleros or sones to pass the time. His coworkers were amazed at his innate rhythm and melody, his inflections and his "swing," and those same coworkers would later encourage him to seek his fortune in music. It was difficult for him to make the decision of devoting himself to music, due to his familial responsibilities, but the rhythm drove him to it. After performing with various local bands, he traveled to Havana in 1940 where he became a troubadour, singing in cafes, bars, and parks for tips and occasionally performing on the radio for 10¢ a show. While performing at one of Havana's many bars, he met Miguel Matamoros, who had been searching for a singer to join his legendary Conjunto Matamoros. Beny traveled with them to Mexico where he wowed audiences with his infectious versatility, and ingenious ability to improvise without any formal musical training. After performing with the Conjunto Matamoros, he remained in Mexico performing with several lesser- known Cuban bands until he joined the orchestra of Perez Prado, the world renowned "Mambo King." At this time Beny established his "look": wide-brimmed hat, long jackets (practically knee-length), baggy pants tapered at the ankles, suspenders and a long, wide tie. The walking stick would come later. As part of Perez Prado's orchestra he performed in films and recorded approximately 60 albums for RCA Victor which inundated Latin America; even today we can still hear his characteristic "ho" or "hu" in Perez Prados' mambos.

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