Benny Moré (born Bartolomé Maximiliano Moré Gutiérrez in 1919) was a legendary Cuban singer, bandleader, and songwriter. Widely regarded as the greatest vocalist in the history of Cuban popular music, he mastered almost every genre of the island's music, from fast guarachas to slow boleros, son montuno, and mambo.
Known as "El Bárbaro del Ritmo" (The Barbarian of Rhythm) and "El Sonero Mayor" (The Greatest Sonero), he was renowned for his fluid tenor voice and genius for vocal improvisation. Despite never learning to read music, he brilliantly arranged and directed his famous big band, La Banda Gigante, creating an infectious, signature sound that remains highly influential in Latin jazz and salsa today.
