Donnie Iris, rock legend behind ‘Ah! Leah!’, dead at 83

See more of our coverage in your search results. Rock legend Donnie Iris, who was behind the hit songs “Ah! Leah!” and “The Rapper,” has died at age 83. The musician passed away Monday, three years after being diagnosed with bladder cancer, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I don’t know anyone who was loved more than Donnie,” his colleague and Iron City Houserockers singer Joe Grushecky told the newspaper. “He just had that warmth about him, and it came through in his performance.” Rock legend Donnie Iris (seen here) died at age 83 on Monday. Getty Images Iris (pictured here) was diagnosed with bladder cancer three years ago. Earlier this month, Iris released a statement announcing his retirement due to “recent health issues.” “Music has given me far more than I could ever put into words. From the earliest days to every chapter of my life, your support has been a constant source of joy and inspiration, Iris wrote. “ He added, “I am deeply grateful to my daughters and my entire family, the musicians, crew members, promoters, venues, and especially the fans who made this life possible.” Getty Images Getty Images Iris said that his “final performance,” which took place on Sept. 28 at Citizens Live at The Wylie in his hometown of Pittsburg, “was a meaningful and fitting moment” for the singer. He also promised that while he was retiring from live performing, “the memories, the music, and the connections we have built together will always remain close to my heart.” “Thank you for your loyalty, your energy, and your love through all the years,” Iris also wrote. “It has been my great honor to make music for you.” Iris performed his final concert while sitting in a chair after undergoing radiation treatment that afternoon, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “He sang like a bird that night,” his former bandmate Mark Avsec told the newspaper. “It was the first time on a chair, and he didn’t like that. But the poor guy, the cancer was spreading, and he was in pain, and he really wanted to do that show and be with the people.” leeterbosic/Instagram leeterbosic/Instagram Iris was born in Ellwood City, Pa., and began performing music in high school. He got his career start as a member of the band the Jaggerz, whose 1970 hit “The Rapper” reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1978, Iris joined Wild Cherry as a keyboardist and background singer, two years after the group released their widely-popular song “Play That Funky Music.” Iris became close with Avsec, 72, and in 1979, they formed Donnie and the Cruisers, with the original lineup also including guitarist Marty Lee Hoenes, bassist Albritton McClain, and drummer Kevin Valentine. Donnie and the Cruisers’ biggest hit was 1980’s “Ah! Leah!,” which became Pittsburg’s unofficial rock anthem. Getty Images AP During a 2006 interview, Iris remembered being shocked when the song blew up. “That song just started to get added on all these radio stations across the country,” he said. “We were going crazy. We couldn’t believe it was happening. Donnie and the Cruisers 11 studio albums before Iris’ death. Their final release was their 2010 Christmas album, “Ah! Leluiah!” Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will/might be rejected if it contains: Spam Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language and threats of any kind Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author User accounts will/might be blocked if we notice: Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected Racist, sexist, or homophobic comments Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk So, how can you be a power user? Stay on topic and share your passion. Feel free to elaborate to get your point across. 'Like' or 'Dislike' when you are filled with emotions! Protect your community. Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules. Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Don't forget, freedom of speech is not the freedom of reach!