Johnny Ventura

Johnny Ventura (born Juan de Dios Ventura Soriano, March 8, 1940, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is a Dominican merengue composer and singer, the first to achieve widespread fame outside of the Dominican Republic. He is known throughou

Johnny Ventura (born Juan de Dios Ventura Soriano, March 8, 1940, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is a Dominican merengue composer and singer, the first to achieve widespread fame outside of the Dominican Republic. He is known throughout the world as the legendary Merenguero, "El Caballo".

Ventura and his orchestra, the "Combo Show", added rock and roll elements to the genre in the early 1960s, influenced by the early stars of American rock (including Elvis Presley). His hits include "Patacón pisa'o", "Pitaste", "El elevador", "La agarradera", "Oye Capullo", and "El tabaco," and has recorded over 100 albums. He continued to record into the 1990s.