Pittsburgh Rock Legend Donnie Iris Dies at 83

Donnie Iris, Pittsburgh's biggest hometown rock hero, died on Monday at age 83 after a three-year battle with bladder cancer. His six-decade career spanned national chart success with the Jaggerz and regional fame with his own band, Donnie Iris and the Cruisers, scoring hits with 'Ah! Leah!' and 'The Rapper'.

Chart-topping hits and musical legacy

Donnie Iris first found national fame in 1970. He was a member of the Jaggerz when their song 'The Rapper' climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song's title referred to talking with girls, predating the hip-hop genre. A decade later, as frontman of Donnie Iris and the Cruisers, he landed another hit. 'Ah! Leah!' reached No. 29 on the same chart in 1980.

The Cruisers had two additional mid-level Billboard hits in 1981: 'Love Is Like a Rock' and 'My Girl'. The band's prolific early period saw them release five studio albums between 1980 and 1983.

Despite being dropped by MCA Records in 1984, Iris and his band continued recording new music into the 2010s.

Final performance and enduring stage presence

Iris performed his final show on September 28 at Citizens Live at the Wylie, less than a month before his death. He had been performing while seated in a chair following radiation treatment, managing cancer-related pain. His longtime keyboard player and best friend, Mark Avsec, said Iris still sang his butt off and had the time of his life on stage, even during treatment.

Industry pundit Bob Lefsetz highlighted this enduring energy in a recent blog post. He noted that during a performance of 'Love Is Like a Rock,' Iris wasn't showing off, he was just doing what he does, AT 82!

Industry tributes and lasting impact

Tributes from across the music industry poured in following the news. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist Joe Grushecky called him the most beloved Pittsburgh musician of all time. For my money, he was the most beloved Pittsburgh musician of all time, Grushecky said.

Lefsetz described Iris as a man whose music was au courant, but whose look was passé. He added that the music remained very listenable. Avsec also revealed the pair had been together for almost 50 years, meeting when Iris worked as a guitarist for Wild Cherry in the late 1970s. Avsec said Iris did not show it despite undergoing his third round of chemotherapy.

Iris's career began in a high school doo-wop group in the early 1960s. The Jaggerz formed in 1964, signing to Gamble Records and releasing their debut album in 1969. Beyond music, Iris worked as a mortgage broker and later owned a business, SimCorp in Aliquippa, leveraging his local fame to attract clients.

Former A&M promo executive Richard Pachter celebrated the timeless rock energy of Iris's work. He called the video for 'Ah! Leah!' the most rock and roll video ever made, citing its rug, teeth, skinny guy with the hairy chest. Donnie Iris gave his last performance for fans at Citizens Live at the Wylie on September 28.