August 17, 2021
Juan de Dios Ventura Soriano aka “Johnny Ventura” passed away last month leaving behind a rich legacy of music in the Dominican Republic.
Johnny Ventura, born March 8, 1940 and passed away on July 28, 2021. Ventura, also known by his nickname, El Caballo Mayor, was 81 years old, began his music career in 1956 on a the television show, La Voz de la Alegría weekly. He was just 16 years of age at the time.
He began playing in New York City in 1967, finding success with American audiences and also recording duets with salsa stars of the day. He became particularly close to Celia Cruz, he said and often singing with her and looking up to her as if she were an older sister.
Throughout the years Ventura was known for creating classics like Patacon Pisao in 1985 and Capullo Y Sorullo in 1986 and many, many more. The New York Times called him the “Elvis of Merengue” as he released more than 100 albums over his lifetime. Ventura won six Latin Music Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.
Ventura died suddenly after complaining of chest pains and collapsed while eating lunch. Doctors said it was heart failure.
Music wasn’t Ventura’s only talents as he was also an astute politician. He was elected deputy to the National Congress from 1982 to 1986. He was also vice mayor of Santo Domingo, Capital of the Dominican Republic, from 1994 to 1998 as well as a second stint as mayor from 1998 to 2002.
As disco became the international sound of the dance floor in the 1970s, Mr. Ventura had to reckon with its popularity. “We incorporated almost all of the Bee Gees’ songs into the repertoire of my band, and the public applauded a lot when we sang those songs in English,” he told Mr. Paul Austerlitz for a book titled: “Merengue: Dominican Music and Dominican Identity” (2021).”
Ventura’s career coincided with a renewed interest in Afro-Caribbean music, thanks in no small part to New York-based record label Fania Records, which revived interest in work from Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic in the late ’60s and throughout the ’70s. The merenguero earned the respect and admiration of salsa stars like Celia Cruz, who recorded several songs featuring the hip-swinging style.
Tributes to El came in from around the world. Cuban songstress, Omara Portuondo, paid tribute to him on Twitter from her home in Havana: “Artista inmenso, corazón radiante y alegre ‘hasta la tumbadora. Gracias, nunca te olvidaremos.”
Dominican first lady Raquel Arbaje also took to Twitter to mourn him. “Today is a very sad day for merengue and for the Dominican Republic,” she tweeted in Spanish. “Johnny Ventura, El Caballo Mayor, has left us physically, but his legacy and joy will always be with us. My solidarity hug to your loved ones.”
Ventura leaves behind a wife Nelly Josefina Flores de Ventura (m-1970) and seven children, five of them from previous relationships.
He was buried on July 31 with hundreds of well-wishers flooding the streets of Santo Domingo to pay their respects.
Thanks a lot for honor our Johnny Ventura, he spent more than 60 years singing and making us dance our merengue. and let a legate as a honest, responsable and hardworking musician and politician.