Who Was Rubby Perez? Merengue Legend Dies at 69 After Nightclub Roof Collapse in Dominican Republic

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As a devoted fan, I sadly share the news that Rubby Pérez, a renowned Dominican merengue singer, passed away at the age of 69 following an unfortunate incident at Santo Domingo’s Jet Set nightclub. According to Listín Diario, his tragic demise was officially confirmed around 5:00 p.m. E.T. on Tuesday, April 8. The heartbreaking event unfolded as he was performing on Monday morning when the nightclub’s roof collapsed.

Enriquito Paulino, his manager, officially announced that Pérez had passed away. Earlier today, there were contradictory news about whether he was saved from the debris. However, his brother informed local press, “At present, he hasn’t been extracted from the rubble or taken to a hospital. After 14 hours since the incident occurred, it seems only divine intervention could bring a miracle.

60 lives were tragically lost and over 160 were injured at Jet Set nightclub due to a roof collapse, as reported by Associated Press. This popular venue in the Dominican Republic housed approximately 300 people during Pérez’s midnight performance when the incident occurred, around an hour into the show.

Officials report that a minimum of 146 individuals have been saved. Rescue crews are still working to locate approximately 100 more people who are still missing. Unfortunately, the saxophonist from Pérez’s band was one of the deceased.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m urging all family members who have loved ones that have gone missing to reach out directly to the Emergency Operations Center in Santo Domingo for any updates regarding their situation.

Originally named Roberto Antonio Pérez Herrera from Hato Mayor, Rubby Pérez initially rose to prominence as the lead singer for Wilfrido Vargas’ band during the years 1982 to 1986. During this time, he contributed significantly to the popularity of songs such as Volveré and El Africano.

1987 marked the start of his solo journey with popular songs like “Looking for Your Kisses”, “In Love with Her”, and “Forget About Her”. The song “In Love with Her” peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart.

During his professional journey, he amassed numerous accolades, among which were the Casandra Awards for both Orchestra of the Year and Merengue of the Year. Additionally, he was honored with the Globo Awards for Best Song and Album of the Year.

Two months before his death, Pérez unveiled what turned out to be his last single, “No Voy a Llorar,” on Valentine’s Day. He had also planned a string of U.S. concerts starting in May, with a show set for July 18 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

After hearing about his passing, his Instagram profile picture was updated to a black image. Nicknamed “the highest voice of merengue,” he is fondly remembered by fans throughout Latin America as a strong performer and advocate for the genre.

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2025-04-09 13:52