Alex Bueno, one of the most beloved voices in Dominican music, a singer who found success across merengue, bachata and nearly every rhythm he touched across a four-decade career, died Thursday in New York City at age 62 after battling brain cancer.
His family confirmed the death through his official social media accounts.
Born Alejandro Wigberto Bueno López in Santiago, Dominican Republic in 1963 and known throughout his career as El Mayimbito, Bueno was diagnosed with a brain tumor in September 2025, overcame it, and then suffered a relapse three weeks before his death when the cancer returned and spread. He had been hospitalized in New York City.
"His departure leaves an irreplaceable void in the world of art and in the hearts of all those who had the honor of knowing him and admiring his musical work," his team wrote in the announcement on his social media. The family asked for privacy regarding funeral arrangements.
His peak came in the 1990s when he produced some of the biggest hits of his career, Jardín Prohibido, Querida, Esa Pared and El Talismán among them, before moving into bachata with the same success that had defined his merengue years.
Busca un Confidente, Que Vuelva and Ese Hombre Soy Yo all became beloved standards in the genre.
He was one of the rare artists who could cross between musical styles and take his audience with him through every transition.
Fans gathered in Washington Heights in New York City Thursday night, the Dominican community's heartbeat in New York — to pay tribute.