"Ah! Leah!" and "The Rapper" singer Donnie Iris has passed away just weeks after saying goodbye to fans on stage.
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The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Variety report that the 83-year-old died on Oct. 26, three years after being diagnosed with bladder cancer.
The Donnie Iris and the Cruisers' lead singer announced his retirement due to his failing health earlier this month.
"After much thought, and in light of recent health issues, I have made the difficult decision to retire from future concert performances," the singer wrote in the Oct. 9
open letter. "...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."Iris played his final show in his hometown of Pittsburgh at Citizens Live at The Winery at the Wilien on Sept. 28.
The veteran singer called the show "a meaningful and fitting moment to share with all of you in my hometown."
"While I will no longer be performing live, the memories, the music, and the connections we have built together will always remain close to my heart ... It has been my great honor to make music for you," Iris added.
According to the Post-Gazette, the Ellwood City, Pennsylvania native began his music journey early on. By high school, he'd formed a doo-wop group called the Fabutons, then in college, he joined a soul group called the Jaggerz.
The Jaggerz signed with Gamble Records in the late 1960s. The group scored a major radio hit with "The Rapper." Iris later joined Wild Cherry, the "Play That Funky Music" hitmakers, in the late 1970s as guitarist and background singer. During his time with the band, he formed a close bond with keyboard player Mark Avsec.
Donnie Iris Creates His Signature Track, 'Ah! Leah!'
Iris and Avsec later formed Donnie and the Cruisers alongside guitarist Marty Lee Hoenes, bassist Albritton McClain, and drummer Kevin Valentine. The band went on to score a series of hits in the 1980s, including "Ah! Leah!," "Love Is Like a Rock," and "That's the Way Love Ought to Be."
Meanwhile, Avsec recently reflected on his longtime friend's final public performance.
"He sang like a bird that night," Avsec told the Post-Gazette of the Sept. 28 show. "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."
Iris's farewell letter announcing his retirement is also filled with thoughtful words from lifelong fans.
"I was a teen in the 80s in Wheeling and grew up listening to your music. I went away for college and most of my early adult years," one fan wrote.
"Every time I heard one of your songs played, I felt like I was home again."
