SANTO DOMINGO.- After 6:00 am on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, the Emergency Operations Center (COE) confirmed the news that had been circulating in some media outlets since yesterday afternoon, but which the rescue agencies had not confirmed: the discovery of the body of the man who in life was called the highest voice of merengue: Rubby Pérez.
The merengue singer is among the 124 people who, according to the latest report provided this Wednesday by rescue agencies at 10:35 this morning, have died in the tragic collapse that occurred early Tuesday morning at the iconic Jet Set nightclub, where a party with an orchestra was held every Monday.
At a press conference at 10:35 this morning, General and lawyer Juan Manuel Méndez, spokesman for the rescue teams, reported that up to that moment the death toll had risen to 124, while the number of those transferred to the various health centers of Greater Santo Domingo remained at 155.
He said the search continues for people under the rubble of the Jet Set nightclub, where the roof of the place completely collapsed early Tuesday morning, at a time when the singer, now deceased, Rubby Pérez, was entertaining at a party, with the attendance of hundreds of people.
A prolific artistic life
Roberto Antonio Pérez Herrera (Rubby) was born on March 8, 1956. He was a Dominican merengue musician and singer. He received his stage name from his maternal grandmother and became known as " The Highest Voice of Merengue" after singing on television programs, according to Wikipedia.
Pérez studied at the country's music conservatory, playing piano and guitar. When he decided to pursue a career in the arts, he had already been given, without intending to, the name by which he would later be known.
He took his first steps as a member of the groups: the Youth Guidance Society Choir, Los Juveniles de Baní in 1978, and Los Hijos del Rey. He made his mark after joining Wilfrido's orchestra during the early 1980s, where he popularized hits such as "El Africano," "Volveré," "Las Avispas," "Cuando estés con él," and "Cobarde, Cobarde," among others.
He was included on the Billboard list for his self-titled album "Rubby Pérez" spent two weeks on the Tropical chart, reaching #15, and his song "Enamorado de ella" was #29 on the Latin Charts, according to Wikipedia.
He won awards at the then Casandra Awards, now the Soberanos Awards, in the categories of "Orchestra of the Year" and "Merengue of the Year." In Venezuela, he earned gold and platinum records in 1988 with his first solo album. He also received two Globo Awards for "Best Song" and "Album of the Year.".
