Johnny Ventura (born Juan de Dios Ventura Soriano, March 8, 1940, La Romana, 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).