Buried in Debris, Dominican ‘Merenguero’ Rubby Pérez Sang Until the End and We Will Never Forget

    Buried in Debris, Rubby Pérez Sang Until the End and We Will Never Forget

    The tragic collapse of the Jet Set nightclub’s ceiling in Santo Domingo has left a void in the Dominican music world. Rubby Pérez, one of the nation’s most beloved merengue artists, was performing on stage when the catastrophe occurred. Trapped under the rubble for hours, he sang to the rescuers, hoping that his voice would lead them to him. His efforts to stay alive, coupled with the agonizing uncertainty, gave way to devastating news: Rubby Pérez had passed away. His manager, Enrique Paulino, shared that the family had held onto hope for his survival, only to be met with shock and disbelief when the news confirmed the loss.

    Pérez, known for his powerful voice, was the headline act at the event that claimed at least 113 lives and left more than 250 injured. His daughter, singer Zulinka Pérez, who had been performing alongside him as a backup singer, shared with local media that her father had been singing in an attempt to guide rescuers to him. Despite the overwhelming debris and the intense efforts to save him, Rubby Pérez was tragically taken from the world at the age of 69.

    His Instagram profile, @rubbyperezoficial, was soon changed to an image of black, a somber tribute to the loss of a man who had captured the hearts of millions with his music.

    Early Life of Rubby Pérez and His Struggles

    Rubby Pérez, known as “the loudest voice in merengue,” had a history rich with perseverance and resilience. “Merengue takes me to an imaginary and sublime place,” he once said on his social media. But music was not always his first love. Pérez had once dreamed of a career in professional baseball, a dream dashed when, at 15, he was struck by a vehicle. The accident left him with a fractured leg, and during his recovery, the young Pérez felt the weight of despair. “I thought I had no reason to exist,” he admitted in an interview with Billboard in Spanish.

    The recovery process took nearly three years. But it was during this difficult time that he rediscovered his love for music. He had played guitar and piano as a child, and in the hospital, he began singing for the other patients. “God had another purpose for me,” Pérez reflected. “Instead of holding a bat, I would hold a microphone, and I would share my joy, my positivity, my desire to move forward, no matter what.”

    Career and Achievements

    By the 1980s, Pérez had achieved national fame, joining the orchestras of Fernando Villalona and the iconic Wilfrido Vargas. He recorded 22 songs and earned international recognition with hits such as “El Africano” and “Volveré.” In 1986, Pérez set out on his own, releasing his album Buscando tus besos, which featured the chart-topping singles “Dame veneno,” “Contigo,” and “Ave de paso.” His career spanned decades and included unforgettable performances, such as his show at Madison Square Garden in New York. Over the course of his career, Pérez released 13 albums, earning accolades and applause from fans worldwide.

    In 2022, Pérez reached another milestone when he became the first Dominican artist to perform with the Houston Latino Philharmonic Orchestra, at the “Viva Latin America” concert on October 15. His achievements were recognized again in 2024 when the Asociación de Cronistas de Arte (Acroarte) awarded him the “Soberano al Mérito” title.

    Love and Legacy

    His social media posts in his final days were poignant. Fans were moved to see him sing “Sobreviviré” and make his own version of the classic song by Mexican singer Lucero. Through it all, his love for music, and for his family, remained unwavering.

    Rubby Pérez’s heart, however, was not only captured by music but by the love of his life, Inés Lizardo, mother of four of his seven children. In an interview with Cómo amaneció Bogotá on Tropicana Radio Colombia, Pérez fondly recalled how they first met. “I was 7, and she was 9. We went to school together, and she was really good at grammar, while I excelled at math. We would swap our exams whenever we could,” he recalled. Their bond was forged in childhood and grew into a deep love that would define Pérez’s life.

    In 2022, Inés Lizardo, who had battled breast cancer, passed away just before Pérez was scheduled to perform in Houston. “The greatest love I ever knew, I lived by her side. She taught me everything, including how to be a father. She gave me the most sublime gesture when she passed, waiting until I was on stage in Houston before letting go,” he shared, his voice trembling with emotion.

    Pérez spoke of the depth of his grief. “The only thing she didn’t teach me was how to face the daily life now that she’s no longer here,” he admitted, his words echoing the sorrow of losing a partner of so many years. He would often say, “As William Shakespeare said: ‘Life is too short to love you in one life. I promise to find you in the next.'” Those words now carry a poignant weight for his family, as they await the inevitable reunion of the man known as “the loudest voice in merengue” with the woman he loved.

    Rubby Pérez’s legacy is one of extraordinary perseverance, unshakable love, and the kind of music that has forever resonated in the hearts of millions.

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