In this section, we will talk about Donnie Iris's personal life, life story. He has his detractors, too. Donnie Iris was born on February 28, 1943 (age 80) in Elwood City, Pennsylvania, United States. And ask her if it was a TV show. Donnie: I do, too. Ridin' Thunder. Donnie Iris was born on the 28th of February, 1943. During recording, the band performed one reunion show together at Conneaut Lake. The band's 2006 album, Ellwood City, was a tribute to Iris's hometown, Ellwood City, Pennsylvania. . . which was used by their label MCA and the computer company Atari to form a cross-marketing promotion. Mark: How long did the Trivells last? A youthful 61, Donnie Iris is throwing a party tonight at the Chevrolet Amphitheatre to celebrate 25 years at the helm of the Cruisers, the local . Husband/ Wife: Under Review: Child/ Kids: Not Available: Total Children: Not Available: Affairs/ Dating: Leah! He doesn't like to go out and do a lot of things.". (Donnie uses Iris only as a stage name.) Donnie Iris's Life Path Number is 2 as per numerology. Mark: 1943? Add photo. After his departure from the Jaggerz, Ierace began to learn engineering at Jeree Recording in New Brighton, Pennsylvania. After 20 years in the music business, he's still not quite sure what makes one record a hit and another a dud. According to our records, Donnie Iris is possibly single. Donnie: I must have been like eight years old. Contribute. People have been asking me if we have gotten together in the . Ierace helped to engineer their third album, I Love My Music. At the time the two were just hoping to get a record deal, Iris said. In his category, Iris went up against Joe Grushecky, Billy Price and Rusted Root. Mark: And youre February 28, 1943? How are old are you then? Borough officials vow that forevermore, every Feb. 28 will be "Donnie Iris Day" in Ellwood City. Particularly one like Donnie Iris. Would love if you added that to your sleuthing! Leah! Eventually, Ierace and the Jaggerz began to write their own material and secured a contract with Gamble Records. The Jaggerz would go on to release one more album, Come Again, in 1975 when they were signed with Wooden Nickel Records. He founded doo-wop group the Fabutons while he was in high school. Donnie Iris's Life Path Number is 2 as per numerology. The title of the album is a reference to the trademark glasses Iris wears, Fortune 410's. Donnie: 1943 Everything youd want is right here, and the people, theyre yinzers. "What it all comes down to is ratings.". Their first album, Introducing the Jaggerz, was released in 1969. "Never," he says, shaking his head and smiling. The 79-year-old rock singer was born in Elwood City. "He seems to be issuing a continuing invitation to party," said one reviewer. Donnie Iris and The Cruisers will headline a concert March 11 at the UPMC Events Center in Moon Township to celebrate Donnie Iriss 80th birthday. They are associated with a rejection of traditional values. Iris asks back. Two other songs from the album received significant AOR airplay; "My Girl" at #25 and "Sweet Merilee" at #31, charted on the Rock Tracks chart. In February 2018, "Donnie Iris and the Cruisers" celebrated Iris' 75th birthday by playing three sold-out shows in The Palace. 23Donnie Iris is ready to get back to performing after sitting idle for 16 months. He suffered through three piano lessons and one guitar lesson before loosing interest - even now, he doesn't read music. Lunchers eat cheeseburgers and disregard his presence. He was inspired by many different artists, including Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Marvin Gaye, and Ray Charles. "The time he spends with us is always good time," Mrs. Ierace said. So that's all we have about Donnie Iris's net worth, bio, wiki, biography, height, weight, awards, facts, siblings, awards, and other information. He was inspired by many different artists, including Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Marvin Gaye, and Ray Charles. He said the show is close to being sold out. Sure. While in Wild Cherry, he met keyboardist Mark Avsec; the two began collaborating on songs and made a demonstration tape which evolved into an album. OK, I have a commemorative 1943 book. Iris will be in the spotlight again early next year when his new album, now being completed at Beechwood Studios in Cleveland, is released. Lauren Davidson. The album Poletown was released in 1997. "It is sad," Iris said of the current state of radio programming. His first group was Donnie and the Donnells; the group merged with Gary and the Jeweltones in 1963 to form the Jaggerz. The death of Michael Stanley, a music legend to Cleveland area rock fans, saddened many people when we heard the news last week. 12. After Alone, which featured a softer side of Iris's vocals, the band took a break from releasing new material but continued to perform regularly through the decade. I didnt want to do it any more. "This is great," said Iris, who lives in Coraopolis. Melody: (from a distance): They started serving SPAM to soldiers in 1943. Donnie Iris remembers watching TV, witnessing Chuck Berry still performing at 60 years old on stage. "I feel I'm doing it not only for myself but for my family. It looks like a Madonna bra, all pointed . Donnie Iriss age is 79. November 10, 2020. He also achieved fame as a solo artist in the early 1980s with the #29 hit "Ah! Winds light and variable. There's no other way of doing it. : Directed by Chuck Statler. Tommy VercettiBrif a MisuberManilaHQ Version. Titled Out of the Blue, the album was a compilation album containing older hits and new material. [12], Shortly after being let go from MCA, the band signed with the small HME Records label. He is 42 years old; gray strands dot the black curls surrounding his face. That was the beginning of Donnie Iris for me. Donnie: By about three or four days I am older than George Benson. Despite his success, he has never considered leaving the Beaver Falls area - where he lives with his wife of 17 years and two teenage daughters - for New York or Los Angeles. Mark: Now, did you get the premium skank because you were Donnie? Melody (from a distance): See if you can get some other people hooked on that nasty habit. Donnie: I played drums, but no serious singing until college. He practiced by singing along with his mother's favorite singers, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. Iris joked that he's framed his famous yellow suit. "Well, accuse us of slobbering if you must, but as those of you in the Midwest are well aware, Donnie Iris and Company simply comprise one of the day's most talented acts and it's nothing short of amazing that massive success has not yet found it's way to them. As a kid, everybody wanted to be a baseball player or a football player, but when I knew I was way too small for any of that stuff I decided early on, OK, well, Ill just go to college and maybe be a teacher or something like that, he says. Iris first came to prominence in the 1970s as the lead singer of the American new wave band The J. Geils Band. Leah!" [18] June 17, 2006 was recognized throughout Lawrence County, Pennsylvania as Donnie Iris Day by Ellwood City Executive Council President Glenn Jones and Mayor Roy P. Meehan. Leah!" is a song by Mark Avsec and American rock musician Donnie Iris from the latter's 1980 album Back on the Streets. The album itself has still not been released as of 2020, although six tracks from it appeared on 1992's Out of the Blue and a cover of "Reach Out" recorded during the Cruise Control sessions appeared on the 1989 compilation WDVE Pittsburgh Rock & Roll '89. Chinese Zodiac: Donnie Iris was born in the Year of the Rabbit. He wrote the #2 Billboard hit, "The Rapper", with the Jaggerz in 1970 and was a member of Wild Cherry after the group had a #1 hit with "Play That Funky Music." Donnie Iris found fame as the lead singer of the Jaggerz, the hit wonder from 1970 responsible for the number-two hit The Rapper, but Donny Iris and The Cruisers returned to the pop charts in the early '80s several times as a solo act. Quotes "All I do is I play, I write, I record, I take care of my dogs. The New Rolling Stone Guide to Records calls Iris' music "strictly low-grade stuff," adding, "Equiped with one of the more versatile voices in rock, Iris can pull off just about any style he wants but his material is only marginally interesting. Mark: What was the next landmark date in your entertainment career after winning the refrigerator? "What it all comes down to is ratings." The album contained the single "Tough World," but only charted at #180, marking a decline in his success, but the band still was determined to release new material. "Everybody looks at this as all glamorous and lots of fun, but it's been hard. Please check back soon for updates. Because the promotional partnership was secured prior to release of the album, it was possible to use the Atari 1200 XL Home Computer in poster photography, as well as in the video clip for "Do You Compute? "Then I learned to put the chords all together.". Avsec announced in a March 2012 interview that the band had begun working on their twelfth studio album, due out in 2013 to commemorate Iris's seventieth birthday. ", a hard rocker with 60 tracks of Iris' voice layered together. 512 likes. This band in both incarnations played R&B and pop rock covers at fraternity parties and lasted from about 1961 to 1964. "I thought we were on our way," Iris said. Iris, whose birthday is February 28, sang the National Anthem before the Pittsburgh . I'm succeeding at a slow pace.". He started playing the drums and guitar when he was twelve years old. What does he consider the best, most successful, time of his career? Later in 1994, Rich rejoined the group. Donnie: Probably. While working at Jeree, the band Wild Cherry (a hot commodity because of their 1976 hit "Play That Funky Music," which had been recorded there), was booked for a recording session. Ravenwood, featuring singer Joe Vitali Jr., will open. Mark: And everything about the Jaggerz also is in the documentary. At that point we called ourselves Donnie and the Donnelles. High 42F. But as radio station playlists become more and more rigid, it becomes harder for someone like Iris to break through. I want them to be comfortable spiritually and monetarily. Mark: I was struck, in helping to put together the web site, as I went through the old pictures, how much you looked like Donnie Iris as a young man. [Much laughter] Elvis and Buddy Holly and all of those peopleYou know what, Spark, I started listening to Ray Charles albums in college, and then I met a guy named Jim Evans who played guitar, and we played guitar and we put a band together. peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 (and #34 in Australia) in February 1981 and became one of the most frequently played AOR tracks of the year, and the album reached #57 on the Billboard 200. This page is updated often with fresh details about Donnie Iris. Like many famous people and celebrities, Donnie Iris keeps his personal life private. Donnie Iris was born in 1940s. Donnie: Probably not until I got out of college. "The Rapper" was a big thrill, but so was the first album we made here (at Jeree Studios, New Brighton).". As long as I can keep performing at a high level I will keep going, he said. Great! The 79-year-old American rock singer has done well thus far. "It was a great place to grow up," says Iris, born Dominic Ierace. Here's one of his later offerings that I really like! Particularly one like Donnie Iris. The Reed Report, a publication for disc jockeys, producers and other music industry insiders, wrote of "No Muss No Fuss:". receiving airplay in Boston, Cleveland and Pittsburgh, MCA Records took notice and quickly signed Iris to a five-album deal and re-released the album nationally in October. 1999 saw the release of an Iris collaborative project entitled Together Alone, featuring contributions from other regionally popular artists like Michael Stanley, Scott Blasey, B. E. Taylor and Joe Grushecky. The 68-year-old former reality star wanted an intimate wedding with 100 of the couple's . Be . Iris, who now lives in Coraopolis, says other than the cold winters, he wouldnt change anything about growing up in western Pennsylvania. The band was also looking for a new guitarist, and upon learning of Ierace and his association with "The Rapper," he was recruited by frontman Rob Parissi. So let's get started Do you wanna know Donnie Iris's full Biodata? He was a member of The Jaggerz for several years and released three albums with the group. The Mariquitas are an awesome way to start your meal off. Reactions from his peers mean much more, like when Steve Perry of Journey came into the Iris dressing room to say how much he loved the Cruisers' music. I couldn't see us doing a tune like "Love is Like a Rock" and not getting into it. I just couldn't believe it, man." Many people couldn't. They had difficulty grasping that those longtime residents His 80 th birthday celebration concert is set for March 11 at Robert Morris University. This article will clarify Donnie Iris's Bio, Wikipedia, Age, Birthday, Height, lesser-known facts, and other information. Dec 17 2022. SIMCorp, located in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, remained under Iris's ownership for nearly twenty years.[15]. Since then, he has released three other albums, "The High And The Mighty," "Fortune 410" (named after his eyeglass frames) and "No Muss No Fuss," along with a number of singles. You have a cold. So, George Harrison is three days older than you! But Ray Charles would have been one of the first great singers I listened to. Mark: So that picture of you when youre singing in the microphone that is on the web site? Mark: How long did Donnie and the Donnelles last? Donnie Iris still rocking, ready for 80th birthday show, Several new businesses coming to Grove City area, Mercer County State Bank to open branch in down, upmceventscenter.com/events/2023/donnie-iris-and-the-cruisers, Texas to invest $100B in 10-year transportation plan, Teenager identified in fatal crash on Route 258 in Liberty Township, Grove City man dies after truck hits deer, Sample steps down as Grove City cross country coach, Pair accused of forcing woman to provide urine for drug test. Login to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and get credit for your contributions. Melody (from a distance): Tell him milk costs 32 cents for a half-gallon delivered to your house in 1943. (Please note: For some informations, we can only point to external links). Ed Sheeran reveals his wife was diagnosed with a tumour during pregnancy AOL 2023-03-01, 09:54. Donnie: Im about eight years old in that photograph. In the kitchen, photos of Patterson native Greg Best, a former Pittsburgh Steeler and Cleveland Brown and a friend of Iris', are attached to the refrigerator. My Dad bought me my first guitar when I was in the 11th grade. Share your thoughts in the comment section. Between 1975 and 1976, most of the Jaggerz' longtime members left the group, including Ierace in 1976. Awesome song though. www.parallel-time.com Happy 80 to Donnie Iris! Donnie Iris is an American rock musician best known for his 80s hits "Ah, Leah!" and "Love is Like a Rock", both inspired by contemporary new wave and power pop music. Mark: In fact, I really didnt know of your serious Ray Charles influences until we did NO REST FOR THE WICKED off of the new Ellwood City album. We found him at Slippery Rock (the college) and formed a four man band. Donnie: George Harrison was born on February 25, 1943. The awards, begun in 2014, honor those who have made significant contributions to the Pittsburgh rock scene. Donnie: [Laughs] You sound like Chris Farley. Donnie Iris's age is 79. Leah!" [30] On March 19, it was announced that Iris had won the public voting process to be inducted for the Rock 'N Roll Legends in his category, along with Lou Christie (Legacy Legends category, 40-plus years in the business) and Porky Chedwick (non-performer/musical professional category, 20-plus years active). When was I on Paul Whiteman? I just wanted to go out and play baseball and stuff, but she insisted I go practice, and Im glad she did that obviously.. "My family is definitely the biggest thing in my life," Iris said. I'm succeeding at a slow pace. In the below table, you will find the height of Donnie Iris in Meter, Centimeter, and Feet Inche, & the weight in KG and Pound. Discover what happened on this day. Mark: When did you think your voice was cool again? Dave Amodie, Jimmy Evans, and I were in the group. In 1998, the band released their first live album. Mark: Hey, Donnie We need a bio for the web site. The album itself reached #69 on the charts. The Ellwood City native is known for his work with the Jaggerz and Wild Cherry in the 70s.