Bienvenido Granda

Bienvenido Granda, born Rosendo Bienvenido Granda Aguilera (Havana, August 30, 1915 - Mexico City, July 9, 1983), was a Cuban vocalist/musician, singing boleros, son montunos, guarachas and other Cuban rhythms. He was best known for having been the lead singer of the Cuban ensemble Sonora Matancera in the 1940s and 50s.

For sporting a prodigious mustache, he was nicknamed El bigote que canta (The mustache that sings) and El bigote que canta con estilo (The mustache that sings with style).

Biography
Bienvenido Granda was orphaned at six years of age. He discovered his talent for singing various Cuban rhythms and tango as a child when he sang for spare change on buses in Cuba.

He traveled to Puerto Rico in 1941. The purpose of the trip was to record with the popular group Cuarteto Marcano. Two songs were recorded.

Bienvenido Granda made several appearances on Cuban radio stations such as Radio Cadena Azul, Radio Cadena Suaritos, Radio Progreso and Radio CMQ. This was done as a way of gaining wider exposure.

In 1942, Bienvenido Granda became the lead singer with one of the most popular bands of all Cuban/Afro-Cuban bands, the legendary Conjunto Sonora Matancera. Bienvenido Granda performed, recorded and achieved his greatest success with La Sonora Matancera until 1954, the year in which he began his solo career, having left the group after a bitter argument with Rogelio Martínez, its director, over money. El bigote que canta wanted to be paid more than his fellow band members even though La Sonora was a cooperative. His legacy with the band is unmatched as no vocalist recorded more songs with La Sonora Matancera than Bienvenido Granda. He put on vinyl over 200 songs with this group.

After leaving Sonora Matancera Bienvenido Granda performed in several Latin American countries. He settled in Mexico City as a result of the Cuban Revolution. Bienvenido Granda sang several of the different musical genres created in Cuba, being especially proficient in the guaracha. He was also a fine bolero singer.

Discography

 * Romance Tropical
 * 16 exitos con la Sonora Matancera
 * Volume 14 of Big Leyendas de la música II
 * Musical History
 * Canta Sus Exitos

Success
These songs, all recorded with the immortal Sonora Matancera, are among his greatest successes:


 * La ola marina
 * Echa pa'llá chico
 * Vacilón: two slightly different versions
 * Qué jelengue
 * El cuento del sapo
 * Machuquillo
 * Pugilato
 * Manteca
 * Qué lengua más larga
 * Lo que es la rumba
 * Yo la mato
 * Feliz viaje
 * El ajiaco
 * Esa sí es cheque
 * Cuco-cheche-malo
 * El bobo de la yuca
 * Vive como yo
 * Fiesta brava
 * Se formó la bronca
 * Tocando madera
 * El velorio
 * Ya se rompió el coco
 * Tu precio
 * Y del Vedado que
 * Florecilla de amor
 * Cinturita
 * Ya se peinó María
 * Oro falso
 * Ya se rompió el muñeco
 * Dejastes
 * Tumba y quinto
 * Pan de piquito
 * Espérame un rato más
 * Eso se hincha
 * Sarará
 * Hay que dejarse de cuento
 * Calla
 * No me eches la culpa
 * Dónde están los rumberos
 * Señora
 * Angustia
 * Qué dichoso es
 * En la orilla del mar
 * Pecastes de infiel
 * Sujétate la lengua