Pop-rock singer Donnie Iris, known for the 1980 hit Ah! Leah! and for The Rapper, the song that launched him to fame with the band The Jaggerz in 1970, passed away on October 26 in Pittsburgh at the age of 83. His death came three years after he was diagnosed with bladder cancer.
The news was confirmed on Facebook by Joe Vitale Jr., the drummer for his band Donnie Iris & The Cruisers. A specific cause of death was not provided, although Iris had already announced his retirement from live performances on October 9, citing recent health issues.
The announcement of his retirement and farewell message
Before his passing, Donnie Iris had reached out to his fans to announce that he was leaving the stage. In his own words: while he would no longer be performing live, the memories, the music, and the connections built together would always remain close to his heart. He thanked his fans for their loyalty, energy, and love over the years, noting that it had been a great honor to make music for them.
Joe Vitale Jr., who had been playing drums for Donnie Iris & The Cruisers for five years, wrote in his post that he had very sad news to share and that his boss and friend Donnie Iris had passed away at 83. Vitale described the experience of playing alongside him as an extraordinary journey and expressed his condolences to the musician's daughters and family, while also bidding him a fond farewell.
From Dominic Ierace to Donnie Iris: the beginnings of a musical career
Donnie Iris was born Dominic Ierace on February 28, 1943, in New Castle, Pennsylvania. He began singing at a young age at weddings and talent shows before gravitating toward rock and roll and doo-wop, forming bands with high school and college friends during the 1960s.
One of those early groups was initially called The Jaggers, in homage to his favorite singer, though they quickly changed the spelling to The Jaggerz. The band's first album, Introducing the Jaggerz, released in 1969, saw modest success. However, their second work, We Went to Different Schools Together, released in 1970 under the Kama Sutra label, included the track The Rapper.
The success of The Rapper with The Jaggerz
Written and sung by Iris, who was still using his real name at the time, The Rapper fit perfectly with the bubblegum pop trend of the era and reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The catchy song featured a somewhat eerie-sounding chorus in which Iris warned a young woman about a smooth-talking man, whom he called a rapper, repeating verses about what that man was really after.
Although The Jaggerz did not achieve comparable success after The Rapper, the band stayed together until 1977. Subsequently, Iris joined Wild Cherry, a group that had scored a number 1 hit with Play That Funky Music in 1976, though by then the band had already passed its peak of popularity.
Ah! Leah! and the birth of Donnie Iris & The Cruisers
Iris left Wild Cherry in 1979 and formed Donnie Iris and the Cruisers. In 1980, the group released their first album, Back on the Streets, which included the track Ah! Leah!, co-written by Iris himself. The song began to get airplay on local stations in the Boston, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh markets, and within a few months, it spread nationwide.
Ah! Leah! reached number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it became an omnipresent track on album-oriented rock stations and, later, on classic rock radio. The band toured extensively, and the song's music video became a staple of the early days of MTV.
The group achieved another, more modest hit with Love Is Like a Rock, included on the 1981 album King Cool. More singles and tours followed, though none reached the level of popularity that Ah! Leah! had enjoyed.
A beloved artist in Pittsburgh until the end
Donnie Iris continued recording and performing until his recent retirement, remaining a beloved artist and considered a favorite son in the Pittsburgh area. The local station WPXI-TV aired a tribute to the singer after the news of his passing broke.
At this time, there is no complete information available regarding his surviving family members.
Frequently asked questions about Donnie Iris
What did Donnie Iris die of?
A specific cause of death has not been specified. Iris had been diagnosed with bladder cancer three years before he passed away and had retired from live performances on October 9 due to recent health issues.
What are Donnie Iris’s best-known songs?
His most popular tracks are The Rapper, recorded with the band The Jaggerz in 1970, and Ah! Leah!, released in 1980 with Donnie Iris and the Cruisers. He also had success with Love Is Like a Rock, included on the 1981 album King Cool.
Who announced the death of Donnie Iris?
The news was shared by Joe Vitale Jr., the drummer for Donnie Iris & The Cruisers for the last five years, through a post on Facebook.
Had Donnie Iris announced his retirement before he died?
Yes. On October 9, Iris announced that he was stepping away from live performances due to recent health issues, thanking his fans for their loyalty and love over the years.
What other bands did Donnie Iris play with?
Before forming Donnie Iris and the Cruisers, Iris was part of The Jaggerz, with whom he recorded The Rapper, and later joined Wild Cherry, a band known for the hit Play That Funky Music.
