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Donnie Iris Dies at 83: 15 Moments From the 'Ah! Leah!' Rocker's Career
Following the Pittsburgh rock legend's passing on October 26, 2026, at age 83, revisit the 15 chart hits, bands, and hometown milestones that made Donnie Iris 'King Cool.'
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Donnie Iris Dies at 83: 15 Moments From the 'Ah! Leah!' Rocker's Career 
15. Singing At Childhood Weddings In New Castle And Ellwood City (1951) 
14. Forming The Tri-Angels At Slippery Rock State College (1961) 
13. Performing 'The Rapper' On Dick Clark's 'American Bandstand' (1970) - AdvertisementSwipe or tap ▶ to continue countdown
12. Adopting The Name Donnie Iris And Joining Wild Cherry (1978) 
11. Forming The Cruisers With Keyboardist Mark Avsec (1979) 
10. Earning The Nickname 'King Cool' From A Toronto Critic (1981) 
9. Storming Arena Rock Radio With 'Love Is Like A Rock' (1981) - AdvertisementSwipe or tap ▶ to continue countdown
8. Naming 'Fortune 410' After His Glasses And Partnering With Atari (1983) 
7. Rooting Against His Own Publisher's Suit Against Paul McCartney (1984) 
6. Becoming A Cult Hero On WDVE's 'Pants N'at' Radio Sketches (1990s) 
5. Saluting His Working-Class Roots On The 'Ellwood City' Album (2006) - AdvertisementSwipe or tap ▶ to continue countdown
4. Selling Out His 80th Birthday Bash Before Beating Cancer (2023) 
3. Taking His Final Bow In Pittsburgh Weeks Before Passing At 83 (2026) 
2. Co-Writing The Million-Selling No. 2 Smash 'The Rapper' (1970) 
1. Unleashing The Immortal 1980 Power-Pop Anthem 'Ah! Leah!' (1980) - Advertisement🔥 UP NEXT IN THIS SERIES◫ 12 Slides
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Born Dominic Ierace in New Castle, Pennsylvania, on February 28, 1943, Donnie Iris passed away on October 26, 2026, at age 83 after a three-year battle with bladder cancer. From co-writing 'The Rapper' with The Jaggerz to howling 'Ah! Leah!' with The Cruisers, count down from 15 to 1 to revisit his career.
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