Moisés Simmons, professionally known as Moisés Simons, was a Cuban composer, pianist, and orchestra leader. He is most famous for composing the classic song "\(ElManisero\)" ("The Peanut Vendor"). Early life and career Born Moisés Simón Rodríguez in Havana, Cuba, on August 24, 1889.He received musical instruction from his father, who was also a musician.By the age of nine, he was a church organist, and at fifteen, he began his formal music studies.As an adult, Simons worked as a pianist in Havana and founded his own jazz band.In the 1930s and 1940s, he spent significant time living and working in Europe, particularly in France and Spain. "\(ElManisero\)" ("The Peanut Vendor") Composition: Written by Simons in the 1920s, this son pregón (a song imitating a street vendor's cry) is considered one of the most famous pieces of Cuban music.Initial Recordings: Singer Rita Montaner recorded the song in Cuba in 1928.International Success: The song became a massive international hit after a 1930 recording by Don Azpiazú and his Havana Casino Orchestra, featuring vocalist Antonio Machín.Cultural impact: The recording led to a "rumba craze" in the United States and Europe. The sheet music sold over a million copies, and the song has been covered by hundreds of musicians worldwide. Other works and later life Beyond "\(ElManisero\)," Simons composed other popular songs, classical pieces, and zarzuelas (Spanish-style operettas).Notable compositions include "Marta," "Cubanacan," and "Serenata Cubana."He collaborated with French novelist Henri Duvernois on the operetta Toi, c'est Moi, which premiered in Paris in 1934.Simons died in Madrid, Spain, on June 28, 1945.