Donnie Iris, 'Ah! Leah!' Singer and Pittsburgh Rock Legend, Dies at 83

Donnie Iris, the rock singer whose voice powered the hits "Ah! Leah!" and "Love Is Like a Rock" and who played stages across western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio for six decades, died on Monday, October 26, at the age of 83. The Beaver County Times reported that Iris died after a three-year battle with bladder cancer. The Akron Beacon Journal reported the same day that Pittsburgh station WPXI had reported his death, and Ultimate Classic Rock also reported that he died at 83 after a three-year battle with bladder cancer.

Iris had announced his retirement from live performance only weeks earlier. In a letter posted on his Facebook page on October 9, he told fans that his performing days were done and that his final performance had taken place on September 28, at the grand opening of Citizens Live at The Wylie, a new concert venue in Pittsburgh.

From Ellwood City to a national hit

Iris was an Ellwood City native, born Dominic Ierace on February 28, 1943. He first reached a national audience with the Jaggerz, the band he performed with for about a decade. The group is best known for "The Rapper," a No. 2 hit in 1970 that Iris wrote. He later spent a brief period with Wild Cherry, the band known for "Play That Funky Music," before going solo and forming his own backing band, the Cruisers.

With Donnie Iris and the Cruisers, he recorded the songs that made him a permanent presence on rock radio in the region. The band's 1980 debut album, Back on the Streets, reached No. 57 on the album charts and was powered by "Ah! Leah!," a Top 30 hit. Two more Top 40 hits followed, "Love Is Like a Rock" in 1981 and "My Girls" in 1982, along with four other Top 100 songs. In Pittsburgh he was known simply as Donnie, and by the nickname King Cool. He was enshrined as a Pittsburgh Rock 'N Roll Legend in 2015.

Illness, a return, and a farewell

Iris was diagnosed with bladder cancer shortly after his 80th birthday in March 2023. He had surgery and took off nearly a year before returning to the stage, performing with the Cruisers every couple of months in Pennsylvania and Ohio. The Beacon Journal reported that he had lost most of his hair following chemotherapy and radiation treatments. The band canceled a July concert at Akron's Lock 3 because of illness.

In his October 9 retirement letter, Iris wrote: "After much thought, and in light of recent health issues, I have made the difficult decision to retire from future concert performances." He added: "Music has given me far more than I could ever put into words. From the earliest days to every chapter of my life, your support has been a constant source of joy and inspiration." He closed the letter by writing: "While I will no longer be performing live, the memories, the music, and the connections we have built together will always remain close to my heart."

Fellow Pittsburgh musician Joe Grushecky paid tribute to Iris in comments reported by Ultimate Classic Rock from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "For my money, he was the most beloved Pittsburgh musician of all time," Grushecky said. "I don't know anyone who was loved more than Donnie. He just had that warmth about him, and it came through in his performance."