Manuel Moreno Maya, known professionally as El Pele, born January 17, 1954, in Córdoba, Spain, is a Spanish flamenco cantaor. Born into a humble family, Moreno Maya began singing in the streets, tablaos, and fairs of Córdoba. At age 15, he won the Primer Premio Cayetano Muriel in 1969, and in 1983 won two first prizes at the Concurso Nacional de Arte Flamenco for his soleá “La Serneta” and bulería “Pastora Pavón”. During the 1980s, El Pele formed an artistic partnership with guitarist Vicente Amigo and shared stages with Camarón de la Isla. His studio albums include La fuente de lo jondo in 1986, Canto with Amigo in 2003, 8 guitarras y 1 piano in 2008, and Peleando in 2021, alongside the 2002 DVD release Puro y Jondo. Moreno Maya received the Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes in 2019, the same year the Semana Cultural de Actividades Flamencas de Paradas in Seville was dedicated to his career.
