Donnie Iris, a rock ‘n’ roll singer from Pittsburgh whose hits included “Ah! Leah!” as a solo artist and “The Rapper” as a member of The Jaggerz in 1970, died on Monday. He was 83.
The singer had been fighting bladder cancer for three years, Variety reported.
Known to generations of fans as “King Cool,” Iris was the frontman of Donnie Iris and the Cruisers, according to WPXI.
Iris first came to national prominence in 1970 with “The Rapper,” the quirky one-hit wonder by the Jaggerz that peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. On the album “We Went to Different Schools Together,” Iris was known by his legal name, Dominic Ierace.
The Jaggerz could not match the success of “The Rapper,” but Iris continued to draw crowds in the Pennsylvania and Ohio areas.
In December 1980, “Ah! Leah!” debuted at No. 90 on the Billboard Hot 100 and would rise to No. 29 by February 1981.
He had two more mid-level chart hits in 1981 with “Love Is Like a Rock” and “My Girl,” according to Variety.
Iris was born on Feb. 28, 1943, in New Castle, Pennsylvania, WPXI reported. Taught by his mother to sing, he grew up enjoying Tony Bennett and Marvin Gaye, according to the television station.
In the late 1970s, Iris joined the band Wild Cherry, noted for the “Play That Funky Music,” WPXI reported.
Despite his cancer, Iris continued to tour, performing his final show on Sept. 28, according to Variety. He performed at the grand opening of Citizens Live at the Wylie in Pittsburgh, WPXI reported.
Iris sat in a chair to perform, hours after having radiation treatment, according to Variety.
“Today, we lost a true Pittsburgh icon,” Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor wrote in a Facebook post. “Donnie Iris was more than a local legend -- he was part of the soundtrack of our city.”