Credit for Photo: (Courtesy of Tim Robbibaro/ For the Post Gazette)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Pittsburgh music legend Donnie Iris passed away yesterday at the age of 83, according to a former bandmate.  

Iris had been diagnosed with cancer shortly following his sold-out show to celebrate his 80th birthday in 2023.  

Iris canceled several shows before later returning to the stage.  

He continued to perform until he announced his retirement from performing live earlier this month after a show at Citizens Live at The Wylie on September 28th.  

Iris earned a gold record for writing and singing  with the Jaggerz on the No. 1 song “The Rapper.” 

After he joined Wild Cherry, he met Mark Avsec. 

The two founded Donnie Iris & The Cruisers in 1979 and they recorded the album “Back On The Streets,” and that album had the hit song “Ah! Leah!”   

Iris was dubbed the “new king of cool” by a reviewer after a show in 1980, and the follow-up album “King Cool” was born from that name.  

That album had songs “Love Is Like A Rock,” “My Girl,” and “That’s The Way Love Ought To Be.” 

Donnie Iris & The Cruisers toured with acts like Bon Jovi, Foreigner, Hall & Oates, Joan Jett, Journey, and Loverboy during their time as a band.