Donnie Iris, Pittsburgh Rock Singer of "Ah! Leah!", Dies at 83

Donnie Iris, the Pittsburgh rock singer best known for "Ah! Leah!", has died at the age of 83. The news was shared on Monday, Oct. 26, in a Facebook post by Joe Vitale Jr., drummer for Donnie Iris & the Cruisers, the band that backed him for decades.

Iris was born Dominic Ierace on Feb. 28, 1943, in New Castle, Pennsylvania. He first found wider attention as a performer with the Jaggerz, whose song "The Rapper" reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, the US chart that ranks songs by sales, radio play and streaming. The track was recorded for Gamble Records and appeared on the group's 1970 album, We Went to Different Schools Together.

As a solo artist, Iris had his biggest chart success with "Ah! Leah!", released in 1981. The song peaked at No. 29 on the Hot 100. "Love Is Like a Rock" is also counted among his best-known solo hits.

According to Billboard, Iris was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2023, shortly after his 80th birthday show. WGN reported that he battled the disease for three years. Local outlet TribLive described him as a Pittsburgh rock legend and reported that he died after his battle with bladder cancer. No cause of death had been formally announced when Billboard published its report.

Iris's final performance was on Sept. 28 at Citizens Live at The Wylie in Pittsburgh. On Oct. 9, he announced that he would retire from future concert appearances, citing recent health problems. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was among the outlets to report his death, on Oct. 26.

For many people in Western Pennsylvania, Iris was a local figure as much as a recording star. He spent much of his career playing clubs, theatres and hometown stages, where audiences knew his songs by heart. Those nights in the room are part of his story too.

Family and funeral arrangements had not been reported at the time of publication. Readers who want to pay their respects can follow updates from local outlets and from the band's own social media accounts.