Donnie Iris, the powerhouse vocalist behind one of the 1970s’ biggest breakout hits, has died at age 83.
Best known as the lead singer and songwriter of The Jaggerz’ 1970 Billboard No. 2 smash “The Rapper,” the legendary rocker passed away on October 26, less than a month after officially stepping away from the stage.
According to CBS Pittsburgh, health challenges first forced the classic rocker to pause his schedule in 2023, coming right on the heels of a sold-out 80th birthday concert after doctors discovered bladder cancer. However, he mounted a comeback to give fans one last series of shows.
That final touring run culminated in a September 28 performance at Citizens Live at The Wylie. It closed out a decades-long performing career shortly before he officially hung up his microphone earlier this month.
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“After much thought, and in light of recent health issues, I have made the difficult decision to retire from future concert performances,” Iris said in a letter posted to Facebook on Oct. 9. “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.”
Variety reported that Iris reached his highest chart peak in 1970 as the voice behind The Jaggerz‘ No. 2 smash “The Rapper.” Using the ’70s smooth-talking lingo, the track became a million-selling staple of the decade.
By the latter part of that same decade, the musician added another prominent gig to his resume by signing on to play guitar for Wild Cherry. He joined the group’s roster after their chart-topping hit, “Play That Funky Music.”
Known to generations of music fans as “King Cool,” the rocker enjoyed a major career resurgence a decade later, scoring a No. 29 hit in 1980 with the signature anthem “Ah! Leah!”. That success paved the way for back-to-back chart appearances in 1981, powered by the tunes “Love Is Like a Rock” and “My Girl.”
Until his retirement, Iris fronted the band Donnie Iris and the Cruisers. The news of Iris’ death was confirmed by the Crusers’ drummer, Joe Vitale, Jr. on Facebook.
“Good evening my friends. Tonight, I have some very sad news to share. Many of you may already know about this, but today my boss and friend Donnie Iris passed away at the age of 83,” he began.
Vitale continued, “I have had the honor and blessing of playing drums for Donnie Iris and the Cruisers for the past 5 years and it has been an extraordinary journey. The band and crew are the nicest people I have ever worked with and I do greatly consider them all to be family.”
He concluded, “At the first full show I performed with with them in 2021, right before we went on stage, Donnie turned to me and gave me a huge hug. He always had an infectious smile, incredible energy and a wonderous personality. After you meet him, you honestly just love him. You could just sit and talk with him, laugh with him. He was King Cool.”
Related: In 1967, a Producer Yelled a Phrase Out a Car Window at Carole King—By Morning, She Had Written an Iconic Hit
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