Donnie Iris died on 26 October 2026 at the age of 83, four weeks after his final concert. The Pittsburgh singer, born Dominic Ierace, had been treated for bladder cancer since 2023. His family and friends confirmed the death to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and no official cause has been released.
How Did Donnie Iris Die?
No official medical cause of death has been made public. Iris had been living with bladder cancer for about three years, and most reports connect his death to that illness.
He was diagnosed in 2023, not long after a sold-out concert marking his 80th birthday. He announced the diagnosis that June and cancelled a run of shows, then said in November 2023 that he had completed a course of chemotherapy and would return to the stage.
Deadline reported that no cause was specified when his death was announced. That distinction is worth keeping: a long illness is confirmed, a cause of death is not.
What Were Donnie Iris’s Final Four Weeks?
Iris played his last show on 28 September 2026 and announced his retirement eleven days later, on 9 October.
The final performance was at the grand opening of Citizens Live at The Wylie, a new concert venue in Pittsburgh. He sang seated, having had cancer treatment earlier the same day.
In a letter posted to his social media accounts on 9 October, Iris wrote: “After much thought, and in light of recent health issues, I have made the difficult decision to retire from future concert performances.” Of the Wylie show he wrote that it “was a meaningful and fitting moment to share with all of you in my hometown,” and he closed the letter by saying that “music has given me far more than I could ever put into words.” He died seventeen days later.
Who Was Donnie Iris?
Donnie Iris was an American rock singer and guitarist who had hits with three different acts between 1970 and 1982.
He grew up in the Pittsburgh area and formed The Jaggerz in the mid-1960s. He wrote the group’s “The Rapper,” which reached number two on the US pop chart in 1970. He left the band the following year, and a later Jaggerz reunion went ahead without him.
Iris then joined the Ohio funk-rock band Wild Cherry as a guitarist and backing vocalist. He was not part of the band’s 1976 hit “Play That Funky Music,” which predates his arrival; he played on and helped engineer the 1978 album I Love My Music, and the group broke up soon afterwards.
With former Wild Cherry keyboardist Mark Avsec, he formed Donnie Iris and the Cruisers. Their 1980 debut Back on the Streets carried “Ah! Leah!”, the song he remained best known for. Avsec wrote or co-wrote the band’s material and produced its albums, and Iris continued releasing independent records and performing around Pittsburgh for decades afterwards.
Which Donnie Iris Song Charted Highest?
“My Girl” was his highest-charting single, reaching number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 after its release in March 1982.
That is not the song most obituaries led with. “Ah! Leah!” peaked at number 29 in 1980 and “Love Is Like a Rock” at number 37, making “My Girl” the biggest chart success of his career and the last of his three top-40 entries. It came from King Cool, released in August 1981, which reached number 84 on the Billboard 200.
How Did Pittsburgh Respond to His Death?
The news was announced by his own drummer and drew tributes from the city’s mayor and all three of its major sports teams.
Joe Vitale Jr., the Cruisers’ drummer, shared the news on Facebook on 26 October. Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor posted on X that night that “today, we lost a true Pittsburgh icon,” crediting Iris with uniting the city through shared pride in his music and legacy. Former mayor Bill Peduto said Iris “represented everything that was good about being a Pittsburgher.”
The Steelers, Pirates and Penguins each posted tributes. His likeness already appears in a mural of local figures at the original Strip District location of the Primanti Bros restaurant chain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was an Official Cause of Death Released for Donnie Iris?
No. Reporting of his death did not specify a cause. He had been treated for bladder cancer for roughly three years before he died on 26 October 2026.
Did Donnie Iris Sing “Play That Funky Music”?
No. That 1976 record was made by Wild Cherry before Iris joined the band. He later played guitar and sang backing vocals with the group and worked on its 1978 album.
When Was Donnie Iris’s Last Concert?
Monday 28 September 2026, at the opening night of the Citizens Live at The Wylie venue in Pittsburgh. He confirmed his retirement from touring in a letter published eleven days later.
What Was Donnie Iris’s Real Name?
Dominic Ierace. He performed as Donnie Iris from his years with The Jaggerz onwards.
