FINAL ENCORE

Rocker Behind Classic ’80s Hits Dies at 83

The musician had undergone radiation treatment on the same day as his final concert, just weeks before his death.

Donnie Iris, the powerhouse vocalist behind the 1980s rock staple “Ah! Leah!”, has died. He was 83. The Pennsylvania musician died Monday after years of treatment for bladder cancer. He had announced his retirement from live performances only 17 days earlier. Iris took his final bow on Sept. 28 in Pittsburgh, performing seated after undergoing radiation earlier in the day. His longtime collaborator Mark Avsec later described the singer’s considerable pain and fierce determination to appear before his devoted hometown fans. Born Dominic Ierace, Iris rose to prominence with the Jaggerz, whose 1970s single “The Rapper” peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. He later joined Wild Cherry, where he met Avsec. Together, they established Donnie Iris and the Cruisers, producing a run of rock favorites that included “Love Is Like A Rock” and “My Girl.” In his Oct. 9 retirement announcement, Iris thanked those who had followed his career. “It has been my great honor to make music for you,” he wrote.

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