March 12, 2025 • 53 mins
Donnie Iris, known for 80s hits "Ah, Leah!" and "Love is Like a Rock," got his start with The Jaggerz and Wild Cherry before forming The Cruisers. A Pittsburgh rock legend, he continues to perform, keeping his classic rock sound alive in the tri-state area!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
God knows that this isn't a video.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Annie, you are Oh, bless your heart. This is the
code of podcast chronicling Pittsburgh's music scene, and welcome in
Johnny Hartwell, your host, along with Andy Kugar. Today we
talked to Pittsburgh's resident rock star, the one and only
Donnie Iris. All Right, so the whole idea of the
(00:32):
podcast is kind of go through the narrative of, you know,
when you started to discover music, and then kind of
go through your you know, the chronicle, chronological order of
everything that you've been able to accomplish. And you've accomplished
quite a bit.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Thanks man, I appreciate that. Yeah, I mean I started young.
I was very small. My mother kind of played the
piano and taught me how to sing, and uh, my
my career kept going. Uh even as a little kid.
We my mother and I were in several you know,
(01:10):
singing contests and things like that, and uh, but I
lost interest after a while. You know, my voice was changing.
I was a little kid with a voice I couldn't control,
and so I you know, I gave it up for
a while until I got to college. And once I
(01:31):
got to college, I just I knew I couldn't deal
with any more school. So I picked up the guitar again,
which I had sat down for a while, and I started. Uh,
I just started playing again and thought, man, I just
wanted to do this again. And uh and fortunately this uh,
(01:54):
these guys that I had known from before called me
up and asked me to join her band. And that
was Jaggers back in like well when we might might
have been like when the Beatles were out, like sixty
three or sixty four or something like that.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Well, but before you, before you get into the Jaggers,
tell tell me about your mother. Tell me about your mom.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Oh, she was great. She she passed away at ninety seven,
God bless her. And she uh she played piano in
church and you know, she pretty much uh, she pretty
much taught me and guided me through the whole thing.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
And what was her name?
Speaker 1 (02:38):
My dad was very supported. Uh her name was everybody
called her chickie. Her last name was die Coola Chicky Diicola.
But she married my dad, who was very supportive. And uh,
I don't know it just uh, uh that's pretty much
(02:58):
it about my mother. She was just a very she
was an artsy kind of person. You know what I
mean and and kind of pointed me in that direction.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
What kind of music were you listening to as a kid,
and were you listening to the radio. Do you remember
the first first album though?
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yeah, yeah, they were I was listening to like Sinatra
and Bennett and those people, because that would have been
like I would have like nineteen forty forty eight or
forty nine or fifty something like that, and yeah, that's
who I was listening to. That's that's who was popular then,
(03:38):
you know, until until rock and roll came along, and man,
everything was like everything changed, Everything was just great.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
What do you remember what radio stations you were listening
to back then?
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Yeah, yeah, I remember KQV.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Chuck Brinkman, remember him, Yeah, he gave me my first job.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yeah, A good guy, man, good guy. I remember listening to.
You know, as this time went along, I listened to
d V and we became good friends with those guys.
You know. Pretty much pretty much the radio scene in
Pittsford was pretty good. Really.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Yeah. So and now we're in your college days, you
picked up the guitar, you started getting into rock and roll.
What what kind of music were you listening then?
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Well, that would have been like during the Beatles era
and the Stones and people like that. So that's who
I was like listening to, along with a lot of
R and B, a lot of Motown, a lot of
stuff like that. And that's kind of like where we where.
We honed our chap our, our skills, really learning from
(04:56):
the those bands, you know, the Beatles, Stones and the
R and B, people like Temptations and the Four Tops
and people like that. And uh, and we played clubs.
We played a lot of small clubs. It was like
a week at a time. Uh, it was those are
the good old days there really were.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Well, okay, so when tell us about forming the Jaggers,
and do you remember your first paid gig?
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Let's see, did you? Actually? Early on we actually hired
a guy for out of Cleveland. His name was Marty Kahan,
and he he booked us through the Midwest. We we
he had us playing clubs, uh five or six nights
(05:47):
a week, I forget how many. But and we we
did a we did a club tour, which uh you know,
which was really cool. I mean we were out on
the road having fun and uh playing music. It was great.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Now was there bands before the Jaggers?
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Uh? There was, there was a group called Donnie and
the don Hills. When I was at Slippery Rock. We
did a couple of frat gigs and things like that,
but nothing to uh, you know, nothing to get excited about.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
But that's a formation, that's that you knowing getting Yeah,
and I agree?
Speaker 1 (06:26):
I agree.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Now, were you playing cover songs? Were you? Uh? Were
you writing songs at that time?
Speaker 1 (06:34):
No, we weren't. We were doing all covers. Uh, that
was it. We didn't start really writing until later on
in the Jaggers. Uh you know when we did, you know,
the Rapper and things like that that came later on,
probably like in the uh in the late sixties or
(06:54):
early seventies.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
So when you were with Donnie and the Donels were
what kind of songs were you playing at that time?
Do you remember?
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Oh? I remember I was a real uh Treeeny Lopez fan.
Do you remember that? Yeah, I was a huge fan.
So I learned a bunch of his songs and uh,
you know, like I said, we played them in at
frat parties and I think we did like a thing
in the in the in the auditorium too, I remember correctly.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
And so when did you start writing your own music?
Do you remember the first song you ever wrote.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Uh well, actually, yeah, I mean back in the day.
I mean I was sixteen or seventeen and wrote a song.
I remember, it's called Eileen, and we I recorded it
with at Jerry's studio, which he had in his house
at the time. And but that was so long ago,
(07:57):
I mean it was I was a teenager. Really, that
was before college. That was you know, that was back
in the day, I'm telling you. But anyway, yeah, I
started writing songs more more consistently with the Jaggers later on,
like around nineteen sixty eight, sixty nine, seventy, you know,
(08:20):
so and and basically we wrote together. The group kind
of wrote things together.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
So Eileen, what kind of style was that song?
Speaker 1 (08:28):
It was like a fifties kind of groove? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Was it do wop or was it more rock?
Speaker 1 (08:38):
It was it was not do oop, but it was
just like a love song. I don't know. It just
one of my early one of my early things. I
don't even remind remember half of it.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
You know. When I listened to Donnie Iris, I think
of a fantastic voice, and I think of herr remonies.
Uh yeah, yeah, When did you become interested in putting
together that that voice of yours. When did you discover
your voice?
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Well, I think I think basically, my my biggest, my biggest,
the guy that I looked up to most was Marvin Gay.
His voice was just it was just great and and
I tried to emulate him the best I could and
(09:34):
and and that's pretty much where I got my chops.
And then with the harmonies and stuff, I just kind
of like layered vocals and we did like back on
the Streets and stuff like that, they did a lot
of vocal layering. And but but yeah, I mean I
discovered really that I had this this screaming, kind of
(09:57):
screaming on tey kind of voice that that I got
picked up from Marvin Gay.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Really are informing the Jaggers. Tell us about the formation
of the band. Who's were you the Were you the originator?
Speaker 1 (10:11):
No? No, I was not. Actually there's only let me see,
trying to think the Jaggers had changed changed members several times.
The original Jaggers, Now I'm talking way back. I would
think there may be one member left when we did
(10:37):
when we did Rapper and stuff like that. So I mean, yeah,
there was just a lot of changes.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Who came up with the name Jaggers.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Uh, the whole, the whole band. We we we got
that and not from Mick Jagger either. We got it
from uh jagger bushes and p a we've all had,
you've all had fucking jagger balls. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Well, you you grew up in Elwood City. Shenango township
isn't that far away? And Shenango the word Sinango is
an Indian word for jagger bushes.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Yes, are you kidding me? No, that's pretty cool man.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Yeah, my father taught at Shanango High School, so not
too far away from Elwood City.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
So no, not far at all.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
So tell us about Elwood City and how you know,
growing up in you know that area. How did that
influence your music?
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Oh? Geez. Actually, when I was in Elwood City, basically
those were my you know, my early days with my
mom learning how to sing, and uh, that was basically it.
But after once I left Elwood then we, uh, you know,
(12:02):
we were able to expand. But uh, I didn't do
a whole lot in Elwood City except to grow up
there and go to the pool hall.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
And all right, so you got the name Jaggers. Yeah,
what kind of aspirations did those young fellows have and
did you think that do you think you would achieve
what you were able to achieve?
Speaker 1 (12:28):
They were serious musicians, they were very, uh, very into it.
And so I was lucky that way, because a lot
of bands, you know, they break up so so easily,
and but I was lucky in the fact that everyone
went to stick to it and uh and basically that's
(12:48):
what happened. We just kept going and going. We did
change members some you know, throughout the throughout the uh,
throughout the history of the band. But you know, we
we thought we would improve the band every time we
made changes.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
And what was your role with that band?
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Oh? Actually we had like three three lead singers, so
you know, we've kind of split the lead singing duties.
I played guitar, rhythm, guitar, and that was basically it.
Everybody in the band sang m hm.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
And how how were you able to get signed? What
was the story there behind that?
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Oh? Yeah, well, I mean it took it took a while,
but we we ran into Joe Rock. You remember Joe yeah,
the name, yeah, yeah, he he he. He helped write
Since I Don't Have You by the Skyliners, and he
(14:01):
had a lot to do with him. But we met Joe.
Uh we were I think we were playing at a
gig somewhere. He came to see us and we became friends.
He became a manager and he has signed with Neil
Bogart from Buddha Canvas Suture Records. Yep, we got turned down,
(14:29):
oh at least a half a dozen times by different companies,
but Neil Bogart gave it a shot. And you know,
like they say, the rest of history.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Well, when you recorded your first record, where did you
record the record?
Speaker 1 (14:46):
It was in New York, a place called Century Studios
in New York.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
And what was that experience?
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Like, oh, it was great, it was you know was
It's hard to explain. You know, it's one of the
first time during the studio, the serious studio, and uh,
it just it was fun. I mean we just have
fun just doing our thing there. But basically, yeah, it
(15:17):
was just a fun time. Man.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
So when you recorded with the Jaggers, do you remember
the first single was that was released from that band?
Speaker 1 (15:27):
The first single the Jaggers?
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Yeah? Oh, and did you get any airplay?
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Well, actually we did, actually that the rapper let me
think the rapper we had a song called, uh that's
why baby I Love you. We had one called oh
what was it? Jimmy Ross saying it, Oh, I can't
(15:57):
think of the name right now. I've got a fine
my way back home. That's when we were doing uh
we were doing records with Kenny Gamble and me on
us up in Philadelphia.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Wow, okay, some legendary names. Yeah. So do you remember
the first time hearing a Jagger song on the radio?
Speaker 1 (16:17):
I do, I do. I remember I was in Freedom,
Pennsylvania and driving along an oncome on the radio comes
the rapper. Oh yeah, what hell's going on? Man? Yeah,
that was a great, great experience.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Now you wrote that song, day Agan, you wrote that song? Yeah,
So tell us about writing that song and did you
think it it would become what it is today?
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Well, I mean that's what you hope happens. But I
woke up during the middle of the night and with
this song in my head I had. I was smart
enough to write some of the up down and then
I brought it to the band and uh, you know,
they put their little way their input into it, and uh,
that's how we that's how we did it.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
And so then it becomes it becomes a hit and
so what how does that? How does that change your fortunes?
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Uh? You know what I mean? Do you really hope
that the hit happens? But you know, and you're thinking
along those lines because you're kind of young and you're like,
you know, ready to go and uh, but then you
get turned down by record companies and finally somebody gives
(17:41):
you a chance with the song and the next thing
you know, it's a hit. You want to you just
you can't believe it. You just you know what I mean,
you just I can't explain it. Wonderful thing.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
So you get some success with the rapper and you
can continue with the with the Jaggers. What's what? How
did how did that band end up with your participation?
How did that? How did the you know? You know,
were you able to you weren't able to follow it
up with another record?
Speaker 1 (18:17):
Oh no, no, we we struggled in after the rapp
or the band struggled, we end up breaking up. We
went our separate ways. And I remember at that time
I went to Jerry's studio in New Brighton and I
was working there as an engineer for Jerry and uh
(18:41):
and uh uh that was that was a good thing too.
Because what happened after that was Wild Cherry had come
into the studio to do some recording and that's where
I met Mark as say, who is my partner in songwriting? Uh?
(19:06):
With with the Cruisers, and he Wild Cherry was doing
some some tracking and uh uh. And and shortly after
that the guitar player had left the band and Bob
Crecy from the from Wild Cherry had asked me to
(19:27):
join them, you know, to go on the road with them,
and so I said, hell, yeah, you know what I mean.
So uh while while we were out on the road,
Mark the asset was my roommate on the road. So
you know, we we did, like I don't know. We
(19:48):
spent a couple of years with Wild Cherry doing gigs,
great gigs really. And after after that, Mark and I
had decided that we wanted to go in and do
our own stuff, and so we went down to Jerry's
(20:09):
the same studio, and we worked on we worked on
like an album of stuff and that was what that became.
Back on the streets.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Well before that, well before that, before that, you put
out a single because back on May twenty eighth of
this year, all the way till today, I do a
little contest called who sings It? And I play a
song and they have to guess who it is. And
(20:43):
I'm going to play a song and I want, I
want to find out the story behind this song because
here he goes, let's see if you can.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
There's a song, is.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
All right? Does that song sound familiar?
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Yes, it absolutely does. I don't believe you.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
All day, every day, for for for three weeks, people
I ask people, do you know who it is? And
it wasn't until today we got a winner and they
figured it out. And to me, I can hear. So
tell me the story behind the song, because it's not
a flavor that we're we're not familiar with Donnie Iris's sound,
(21:35):
but there's there's a little bit. So tell me the
story behind the song.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
Yeah, we well, Mark and I when we first got together,
we just were not we weren't real sure what we
wanted to do. We just uh, I mean disco I
think was kind of happening at that time, and we
just said, okay, let's do this record. We take an
old song and revive it and uh, and we came
up with that. But you know, it wasn't too much
(22:01):
longer where we just decided we wanted to do something
a little a little more serious.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
Yeah, so we did.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
But we had fun doing that stuff. I mean, what,
what's the name of that song?
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Because of you? Because of you?
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Yep, yep. And that's originally it was done by Tony Bennett.
I believe it was.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
It was and the winner said they thought that you
sped the tape off a bit. Is that true?
Speaker 1 (22:36):
I have no idea. Probably did. I mean, we tried
everything back in them days, but I don't know, I
don't remember. Mark would remember, he would remember. I'll have
to ask someone.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Okay, because because I could hear it because of just
the the vocal dexterity that you have, and you you
certainly stretch stat quite a bit on that song. Now
it is not something that we're used to when once
you become King Cool, it's a totally different sound. So
so so now we're moving into the cool King Cool era.
(23:16):
So tell me about, you know, working with with Mark,
and what was the idea and how did you get
signed and so so tell us where we are in
your in your narrative.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Okay, we Mark and I after we while we were
doing back on the streets, we he had Connections in
Cleveland with Mike Belcon and Carl Maduri and hold on
a second. So he they said, yeah, go ahead into
(23:56):
the studio and see where we come up with. And
so we did. We went in. We came up with
the Back on the Street album, and we initially we thought, well,
let me back up a little bit. We had to write.
(24:17):
We had to write a bunch of songs first, and
we went into my basement up in Beaver Falls in
Patterson Township. Piano in my basement and Mark and I
sat at the piano and we wrote like three or
four songs that to get started, and one of them
was Leah Yeah an the others I think Agnes was
(24:42):
later on Yeah, like the stuff we wrote in the studio.
So you know, I think that one came on a
little a little later.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Well, tell me about Aliyah. How did that song come about?
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Well, there's there's a story to that. That song. It's
not a very interesting one, but it's you know, it's
it's it's fine. We had we we wanted to write
a song that had a chant, like a Gregorian chant
in the song, and we we just started singing all
(25:16):
the h and uh and we I thought Hey, that's
that can be a name. Let's let's make it a Leah.
Make make it after the mirror. And and we we
were We worked on it, worked on it and worked
on the lyrics, and uh, that's how that song came about.
(25:38):
But whether whether back I had met a girl, well,
actually I didn't. I didn't know her, but her name
was Leah. Uh. I kind of knew her from Afar.
I think she was dating the drummer in the band
at the time. But she was gorgeous. It was just
(25:59):
you with this and uh, and I kind of like, uh,
I thought, yeah, let me, uh, let me name this
this record after her. So I did. And years later
I had gotten into the real estate business, some mortgage business,
(26:22):
and I had met a woman there who who I
did some business with. We did some you know, uh
real estate business, and I find out that her mother.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
Was Leah.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
She I mean, I I was slabbered at because I said,
are you kidding me? Uh? She was like yeah, I
mean you want to meet her? I said yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Those years well, Donnie, I got to wonder how many
Pittsburgh women were named after that song. It's it's It
wasn't a popular name until your song and then wow.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
Yeah, it was very popular. You're right, and a lot
of people come up to me and say, hey, my
dad named me after you.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Not so many a great song, but not a lot
of Agneses, but a lot of Aliah's.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
Yeah, you know what, that's the same too, because Agnes
is a great name.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
Well, tell me about that song. That's one of my favorites.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Yeah, me too. It's a uh actually, the reason we
wrote that song is because her name reminds uh rhymes
with everything. Think about it, hmm madness, Agnes madness. Yeah, okay,
(28:00):
that and that's we tried to rhyme. That's all it was.
It was a bunch of rhymes. There was no no
woman involved, there was none of that. And it worked
out great. I mean, that's it's one of my favorite songs.
If you do.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
So you signed with m c A. What was that
process like?
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Well, initially we we signed with the oh, let's see
Midwest Records.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Right right, Yes, I remember that.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Okay, that was Mike Belcon and Carl Madury's label out
of Cleveland, and uh and that's where it came out of.
And those guys they worked, they worked at records like crazy.
I mean, they got me on uh, radio stations all
over the country. They really did they you know, we
(28:54):
were we were like, oh my god, this is something.
There's a there's a there's a buzz out there for sure.
And and so I mean Midwest did all they could
at that point, and we had to have a like
a major label pick it up to finish it off.
And and that's that's how we got tigned to mc A.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
And so you're the you know, the the you know,
Donnie Iris persona that we all know and love is
is being formulated. Do you remember any of those tours?
Did you were you uh? Did you tour with anybody
that we would know?
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Oh? Yeah, I mean we toured with a bunch of people.
Our first tour was with naswith and then we opened
for a bunch of different people all we I mean,
you know, we're on the road opening for different people
An Agent, uh, the Romantic, A Paul and Oaks. Uh,
(30:04):
you know, it's just a bunch of different bands. I
can't even think about all of them right now. But yeah,
I mean we were we were out on the way,
we were touring and we were just oh and loverboard.
We had the best fund in love. In fact, towards
the entire tours, the entire Midwest, and those people out
there were starving for entertainment. And we played these big
(30:26):
places like in Lincoln, Nebraska and places like that Ames, Iowa,
and Uh, they were just the places were packed with people.
This packed. We had such a good time. So it
was a good.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
You're a young man out on the road, yeah, having fun.
So any any stories that you can uh that you
you can pg, stories that you can tell us about
what was it like being on the road as a
young man.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
I ain't gonna tell you.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
Ship that tells us a lot, Donnie.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
That is the best response for that question. I can imagine.
That's amazing. Okay, I didn't lose you, right, you're still there, Okay,
all right? And so how did the Pittsburgh's reaction to
to uh back on the streets.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
Oh, I mean it was it was just great. I
mean that's when let me see who was Jimmy and Steed.
We're still at TV, yep, And I remember we went
up to we went up to the Granadi's house and UH,
and Jimmy and Steed came up. They wanted to hear,
(31:59):
they wanted to hear the uh the album. Uh so
they they they heard it and they went right on
it the next day. Man, they just like were right
on top of it. And you know, and to this day, like,
uh and I still think about that. I mean, it
was just such a great time. They were just they
(32:22):
were great guys, great guys. You know.
Speaker 5 (32:25):
The Granadis have a story about you when they were
first Yes, yes, they like to tell it.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
It's a nice story, Donnie.
Speaker 5 (32:32):
When they were when they were first starting out, they
had a gig and they had equipment trouble I think
it was, and they they knocked on your door and
and they begged you for some help.
Speaker 4 (32:47):
And I believe and I know you.
Speaker 5 (32:48):
How do you remember that story or do Yeah, they'd
like to tell it because I mean, it says a
lot about you.
Speaker 4 (32:56):
You helped this young group out.
Speaker 1 (32:59):
I think they need some microphone.
Speaker 4 (33:01):
Was that what it was?
Speaker 1 (33:02):
Okay, I'm pretty sure. Yeah I remember, and I said, yeah,
I just think it.
Speaker 5 (33:10):
Yeah, Well, they remembered it. They're very grateful. They like
to tell that story a lot.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
Oh. Yeah, they they came from the same neighborhood. I
gave him us falls. Yeah, right along the corner.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
So you know the back on the streets. Uh, you're
you're working with with Mark. Tell us about that relationship
and how that developed into a song writing team that
that that really really gave us some fantastic hits.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
Well, I'll tell you we I mean, we were just
very serious about it. I mean we wanted to do
something and I thought Mark was the perfect guy for
me to do. I was saying that the Street Kids.
He was like classically trained musician who you know who
(34:04):
it brought. He was brilliant. I mean, he's a brilliant.
Watch right now. He's an attorney in Cleveland music uh,
music attorney in Staven for a big phone. But he's
he graduated from Kate bushn University in like two and
(34:25):
a half years. But he's just he's an amazing he know,
he's he's boy.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
So tell me about his backstory. Maybe I should get
him on the phone. Maybe we need to bring We
need Mark on the on the on the podcast. That's
what we need to do.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
So.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Go ahead.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
It's backstory is he actually came up as an accordion player.
Oh jesus, he was just a kid. We were maybe
fifteen fourteen or fifteen years old and Uh, I mean
he he's great. According and then then he got independle
(35:15):
and synthesizers and all that stuff, and he was he
could definitely handle it. Was it was, it was like
like waking up in the movie for.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
You know, when it comes to the album back on
the streets. So many people obviously know Aliyah and Agnes,
but there are a couple of songs on that album
that I just absolutely love you You're Only Dreaming, I
Can't hear You as another one of my favorites. Was
there any particular song on that album that you like, Wow,
that's that song is going to be a hit and
(35:52):
it wasn't released.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
Well, uh, you know the one, the one that everybody
was talking about. Yeah, that's for sure, right, I mean,
there's some other songs going there. You're Only Dreaming, I
think it's one of my favorites. And the other one
you mentioned, what was it? You just mentioned it?
Speaker 2 (36:15):
Oh, I can't hear you.
Speaker 1 (36:18):
Yeah, I can't hear you. It was a good song,
but lyrically it was it wasn't going to get on
the radio at that time because of the lyricist, but
nowadays it would be no big deal.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
Then you follow up that song with King Cool, which
is turned into an absolute classic, and especially here in Pittsburgh. Yeah,
tell us about that album.
Speaker 1 (36:45):
Well, we went to Jerry's the same place to record it,
and we did all the recording there. The only thing
differently we did with that record compared to the first record.
Instead of mixing it ourselves, we we we had somebody
in New York. Well, we did the mix like that.
We had somebody in New York through the I think
(37:09):
it was both Sterling songs, and they did the they
did the final uh, you know, the final final mixing.
So it was flip a sound the way it's supposed
to on.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
The radio, you know, and and there's there's Uh, the
standout track is probably Love is like a rock Sweet Merrilee.
What what's the other one? That's the white level, Yeah,
some great songs. Tell us about writing some of those songs,
of the writing session on that particular album, What was
(37:43):
it like?
Speaker 1 (37:46):
Most of it was most of those songs were written
in the studio. We just went in started jamming. Uh,
that's how we came up with Love Is like a
rock Marty Marty Lee or guitar player came up at
that risk and everybody else. It's kind of like learned
it into the to the riffs and we we we
(38:12):
we separated it, put it together and and we after
after the after the song was organized, we Mark and
I wrote the lyrics and uh, and we had a song.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Well that was the kind of that was like early eighties.
That was when MTV and Friday night videos were So
now you have you have to start shooting videos.
Speaker 1 (38:42):
Yeah, yeah, well actually we had done that on the
first album Leah was a was I think played on
MTV like early on. If I'm not mistaken, am I right?
Speaker 2 (38:57):
I don't remember, Well the MTV started in nineteen eighty
do you actually preceded MTV, But they did pick up
a lot of those videos that that so what it was,
so now not only do you have to write songs
perform them, now you have to you have to be
an actor. You have to be filmed. Well you know, yeah,
you're you're the you're like not only the king cool,
(39:20):
but you're like, you know, one of the forerunners of
MTV and and in the videos, so that you're so
what was that like?
Speaker 1 (39:29):
Well, I mean I didn't really see it that way.
I mean, we I remember h MTA when we just
to do some videos. They flew us off to Los
Angeles and that's where we did. We did Leah in
Los Angeles. Who we did Agnes in San Francisco. Okay, yeah,
(39:57):
down in the Bay Area. It was great, it would
be great. It's a great time. But yeah, and then
you know, I think I think MCA prayed that. I'm
pretty sure they did, but it didn't really it didn't
really happen until Love was Like a Rock and that
was our live performance of Blossom, uh, where they picked
(40:21):
up on that.
Speaker 2 (40:25):
And you you've been embraced by Pittsburgh and Cleveland, which
is kind of funny because those two cities are fairly
competitive and you've been I grew up in you know,
I grew up in Newcastle as similar as you, so,
you know, so I was kind of in between those
two cities as well. But how did you make how
(40:45):
did you balance the Cleveland Pittsburgh rivalry?
Speaker 1 (40:51):
Well, you know, musically, Uh, it was not a problem musically. Uh.
You know, when you talk about the Steelers and stuff
like that, then you haven't brought but because they used
to beat the crap out of the brown but they
they there. I can remember there. Uh, Uh, they were
(41:14):
blacked out in Cleveland that I can remember all those
guys coming up to my house and and watching the
Browns and Steelers and watching the Browns get there.
Speaker 2 (41:24):
At Yeah, I'm one of the few people because growing
up in Newcastle. I grew up in a little town,
New Wilmington. Are you familiar with New Wilmington?
Speaker 1 (41:33):
Oh? Yeah, yeah, I have a good friend.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
Okay, I was able to watch you know, the Steelers
on from Youngstown, and so I was one of the
few people who actually saw the immaculate reception on television
because it was blacked out in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 6 (41:51):
Right, all right, so so let's get back to uh,
we're we're currently on King Cool because that's when, you know,
Donnie Iris fever was just exploding, especially.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
In this area. Who were you touring with that? And
and uh, you know, how did your fortunes change with
that album?
Speaker 1 (42:18):
Oh it's a king cool album. We I remember we
were doing a lot of really good shows, a lot
of headlining shows and uh, you know, there a lot
of brought of different tons in his Bosston, Dallas and
places like that. For Pittsburgh, we did the old Stanley Theater.
Speaker 2 (42:40):
Do you remember that absolutely.
Speaker 1 (42:43):
Yeah, Yeah, there's the old Stanley Theater. I think Norman
and the Grenanni's open for us there. I'm not mistaken. Yeah,
but I remember that was that was like coming home
to a two big crowd, and it was it was
(43:03):
it was a really great thing. The band was cooking
at the time, and we were like, we're having such
a good time.
Speaker 2 (43:13):
So then you're you're moving to The High and the Mighty,
which is your third album.
Speaker 1 (43:19):
Yeah, Well, to be honest with you, we had a
lot of trouble with that album. We had like, uh,
we had a problem with with the the recording tape
that we were using, and there was a problem with it.
It was the magnetic stuff on it was coming more often. Uh,
(43:40):
it was just the it was. It was not a
it was not something that we could speak proud really.
I mean we we had a couple of good teams
on there, I thought, But but all in all that
that that kind of like was the Boundfall, Uh just
(44:00):
put us in a bad place. We were like, you know,
just we were nice. We were tired of it. We
were just we need we needed a break. I think
right after that we did take a break.
Speaker 2 (44:18):
Well that that happens to a lot of bands, and
music starts to change, and as you get into the
mid eighties. We released Fortune for ten h Well had
a song called Stage Door Johnny, which you know, being
in That's My Name. I always loved that one. And
of course my favorite Donnie Iris song is do You Compute?
(44:40):
And that's off that album.
Speaker 1 (44:42):
Yeah, do You Compute was a great song. Man, It's
just uh, we did a video for that. Have you
seen that?
Speaker 2 (44:49):
I have absolutely one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (44:52):
Yeah, it's a good video. It's yeah, we had Well,
I'm glad you mentioned that. We went to Cincinnati, need
to do that some studio there, studio studio. We did that.
(45:13):
But yeah, I mean that was a good time. That
was like I remember the girls in the in the video.
She was kind of cool and uh, but yeah, it
was a great time.
Speaker 2 (45:28):
And then No Must No Fuss, which is uh, you know,
injured in the Game of Love, which is a great song.
But music is starting to change. Do you do you
feel that as a recording artist.
Speaker 1 (45:41):
Yeah, absolutely, we were trying to do something as basic
as possible, not a lot of overdubs or any of
that stuff. There's uh, there's a couple of songs on there.
I really liked had fun doing them. Uh, the song
about yours? The name of that? Oh you're thinking it?
(46:06):
Do you know the one I'm talking about? But about eyes?
Speaker 2 (46:13):
No?
Speaker 1 (46:15):
No, I Am Your Do you know that one?
Speaker 2 (46:19):
I don't? I don't cry baby is on that one?
Is that's That's not the song you're thinking of.
Speaker 1 (46:24):
No, no, it's I Am Your Eyes, which I thought
was foods Can Be. I really liked that.
Speaker 2 (46:33):
So looking back at your career, where was Where was
that sweet spot the time you had the most fun
that you felt, Yeah, this is this is where where
it's all happy for you?
Speaker 1 (46:48):
I would have to say the lover Board too. I
mean that was that was the most fun I ever had.
Really opened for a lot of different parents, but opening
for the lover Boards was it was the best me.
Me and Mike Reno became good friends. And although I'm
seeing much these that, you know, when we do get together,
(47:08):
it shows it's always good seeing you know. But yeah,
I think I think I would say that was the
best best time of a of our career. As far
as live performances.
Speaker 2 (47:22):
So well, you you were you toured with lover Boy
just a couple of years ago.
Speaker 1 (47:30):
Well, yeah, I mean they we opened for them and
uh six and uh r e O and lover boards
on a couple of those a couple of those games.
But uh yeah, I mean this is just a few
years ago, you're right, yeah.
Speaker 2 (47:51):
And then this might be a sensitive subject, but I
really want to ask you about it. It was shortly
after that tour you were diagnosed with cancer. How are
how is your health? How are you doing right now?
Speaker 1 (48:03):
I'm doing great right now. Cancer is all gone. It
took a toll on me, that's for sure. But I
mean I have no more cancer. I do. I do
like the scans every once in a while, you know,
we're picking in that tube.
Speaker 4 (48:20):
And yeah, m m ri, MRI scans.
Speaker 1 (48:25):
Yeah, I uh but everything looks good. Every day's found.
So thank the Lord, I do all that.
Speaker 4 (48:34):
You've got more to do, right, I got.
Speaker 1 (48:37):
More to do. We've got a bunch of shaws booked
us this year. We're booked up all the way through
March of next year. It's Robert Morris again. So we
have a nice tour for me that this summer.
Speaker 2 (48:49):
Do you think you'll ever stop performing?
Speaker 1 (48:54):
Well, I mean, I'm sure there's going to come a
day where I can't do it anymore. But you know,
I'm gonna go aslong as I can because I feel
pretty good. The band sill sounds great, and uh, we're
having fun. The crowds are day and you know they're
right there with me. Man, it's great.
Speaker 2 (49:14):
The one the one characteristic when when Donnie Iris is
up on stage, the one word that comes to mind
for me is energy.
Speaker 1 (49:24):
Yeah, yeah, we do have We do have that, that's
for sure. Yeah, we That's what we do. Then, that's
that's that's our thing in Uh, you know, that's just
that's just our show.
Speaker 2 (49:40):
Do you still do you still love it? Do you
still have a passion for it?
Speaker 1 (49:44):
Absolutely, there's no doubt about it. And I still have
a fashion for it. I can't wait for our next show,
which is June twenty ninth in uh Kent, Ohio at
a place called the Kent Stage. Have you heard of it?
Speaker 2 (49:59):
Yes, absolut slowly.
Speaker 1 (50:01):
Yeah yeah, great great venue, great venue.
Speaker 2 (50:04):
Do you see yourself recording any new music?
Speaker 1 (50:08):
Uh? Not not really. I mean we're we're not in
a recording mood or recording whatever you want to call.
But right now we're concentrating on shows and maybe someday
we'll go back in and do some stuff, but it's
really not on the calendar.
Speaker 2 (50:28):
Do you still write any new music?
Speaker 1 (50:32):
No, we have Mark and I have nothing writing any music.
Both of us are pretty busy with these shows. And
then he's a music attorney in Cleveland, so he doesn't
have a lot of time to, you know, to really
sit down with me and write songs. But he never knows.
I mean, something that happened we decided to write again,
but there's nothing in any near future.
Speaker 2 (50:55):
You and Mark are so it's almost inseparable. How how
have you been able to maintain that relationship for such
a long period of time.
Speaker 1 (51:04):
Well, I mean the sounds cliche or whatever, but we're
like brothers. I mean, it's been years since we've known
each other, and we just respect each other's pounce and
we we get we get the best out of each
(51:25):
other every night we go off our states.
Speaker 2 (51:29):
What do you think is Donnie Iris's legacy?
Speaker 1 (51:34):
M oh, geez, wh will not? I just hope I
leave behind a lasting memory for everybody. And I have
a great family I have, I have a lot to
(51:56):
I have a lot to live for it really, so
I have no plans I'm bowing out any time.
Speaker 2 (52:02):
Sure, good for you. I don't want I don't want
to see you retire. It just uh, you've been part
of our lives for so long. I can't imagine, you know,
not having Donnie Iris up on.
Speaker 1 (52:16):
Stage say, I appreciate it. Well, that's all appreciate.
Speaker 2 (52:24):
Is there anything else in uh, in Donnie Iris's career
did you you you know, like a story or anything
that we didn't cover that you think ought to be
included in the podcast.
Speaker 1 (52:34):
Well, I'll tell you what. Man, you guys did a
good job. Thank you. Yeah, it's been wonderful talking to
you and uh and going over all this stuff as
much as I can remember. But I'm glad. I'm glad
I did it.
Speaker 4 (52:50):
Glad you did it too, Donnie.
Speaker 1 (52:52):
Oh, thank you, Andy. I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (52:55):
Well, we're we're associated, we're the I do the morning
show on three WS and we're associated with DV. So
the next time you come in down you join them
in the studio, please stop by. I'd love to say hello.
Speaker 1 (53:07):
Okay, man, that sounds good. I'll try.
Speaker 2 (53:10):
Donnie, thank you so much for your time. You were
fantastic and I appreciate you sharing your stories.
Speaker 1 (53:16):
Thank you, I really really had a good time.
Speaker 2 (53:19):
Well good Hey, if you could put us a good
word with Mark, we'd love to talk to him and
get his version of maybe he'll tell the stories of
Speaker 1 (53:34):
I don't know.
God knows that this isn't a video.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Annie, you are Oh, bless your heart. This is the
code of podcast chronicling Pittsburgh's music scene, and welcome in
Johnny Hartwell, your host, along with Andy Kugar. Today we
talked to Pittsburgh's resident rock star, the one and only
Donnie Iris. All Right, so the whole idea of the
(00:32):
podcast is kind of go through the narrative of, you know,
when you started to discover music, and then kind of
go through your you know, the chronicle, chronological order of
everything that you've been able to accomplish. And you've accomplished
quite a bit.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Thanks man, I appreciate that. Yeah, I mean I started young.
I was very small. My mother kind of played the
piano and taught me how to sing, and uh, my
my career kept going. Uh even as a little kid.
We my mother and I were in several you know,
(01:10):
singing contests and things like that, and uh, but I
lost interest after a while. You know, my voice was changing.
I was a little kid with a voice I couldn't control,
and so I you know, I gave it up for
a while until I got to college. And once I
(01:31):
got to college, I just I knew I couldn't deal
with any more school. So I picked up the guitar again,
which I had sat down for a while, and I started. Uh,
I just started playing again and thought, man, I just
wanted to do this again. And uh and fortunately this uh,
(01:54):
these guys that I had known from before called me
up and asked me to join her band. And that
was Jaggers back in like well when we might might
have been like when the Beatles were out, like sixty
three or sixty four or something like that.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Well, but before you, before you get into the Jaggers,
tell tell me about your mother. Tell me about your mom.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Oh, she was great. She she passed away at ninety seven,
God bless her. And she uh she played piano in
church and you know, she pretty much uh, she pretty
much taught me and guided me through the whole thing.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
And what was her name?
Speaker 1 (02:38):
My dad was very supported. Uh her name was everybody
called her chickie. Her last name was die Coola Chicky Diicola.
But she married my dad, who was very supportive. And uh,
I don't know it just uh, uh that's pretty much
(02:58):
it about my mother. She was just a very she
was an artsy kind of person. You know what I
mean and and kind of pointed me in that direction.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
What kind of music were you listening to as a kid,
and were you listening to the radio. Do you remember
the first first album though?
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yeah, yeah, they were I was listening to like Sinatra
and Bennett and those people, because that would have been
like I would have like nineteen forty forty eight or
forty nine or fifty something like that, and yeah, that's
who I was listening to. That's that's who was popular then,
(03:38):
you know, until until rock and roll came along, and man,
everything was like everything changed, Everything was just great.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
What do you remember what radio stations you were listening
to back then?
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Yeah, yeah, I remember KQV.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Chuck Brinkman, remember him, Yeah, he gave me my first job.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yeah, A good guy, man, good guy. I remember listening to.
You know, as this time went along, I listened to
d V and we became good friends with those guys.
You know. Pretty much pretty much the radio scene in
Pittsford was pretty good. Really.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Yeah. So and now we're in your college days, you
picked up the guitar, you started getting into rock and roll.
What what kind of music were you listening then?
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Well, that would have been like during the Beatles era
and the Stones and people like that. So that's who
I was like listening to, along with a lot of
R and B, a lot of Motown, a lot of
stuff like that. And that's kind of like where we where.
We honed our chap our, our skills, really learning from
(04:56):
the those bands, you know, the Beatles, Stones and the
R and B, people like Temptations and the Four Tops
and people like that. And uh, and we played clubs.
We played a lot of small clubs. It was like
a week at a time. Uh, it was those are
the good old days there really were.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Well, okay, so when tell us about forming the Jaggers,
and do you remember your first paid gig?
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Let's see, did you? Actually? Early on we actually hired
a guy for out of Cleveland. His name was Marty Kahan,
and he he booked us through the Midwest. We we
he had us playing clubs, uh five or six nights
(05:47):
a week, I forget how many. But and we we
did a we did a club tour, which uh you know,
which was really cool. I mean we were out on
the road having fun and uh playing music. It was great.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Now was there bands before the Jaggers?
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Uh? There was, there was a group called Donnie and
the don Hills. When I was at Slippery Rock. We
did a couple of frat gigs and things like that,
but nothing to uh, you know, nothing to get excited about.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
But that's a formation, that's that you knowing getting Yeah,
and I agree?
Speaker 1 (06:26):
I agree.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Now, were you playing cover songs? Were you? Uh? Were
you writing songs at that time?
Speaker 1 (06:34):
No, we weren't. We were doing all covers. Uh, that
was it. We didn't start really writing until later on
in the Jaggers. Uh you know when we did, you know,
the Rapper and things like that that came later on,
probably like in the uh in the late sixties or
(06:54):
early seventies.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
So when you were with Donnie and the Donels were
what kind of songs were you playing at that time?
Do you remember?
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Oh? I remember I was a real uh Treeeny Lopez fan.
Do you remember that? Yeah, I was a huge fan.
So I learned a bunch of his songs and uh,
you know, like I said, we played them in at
frat parties and I think we did like a thing
in the in the in the auditorium too, I remember correctly.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
And so when did you start writing your own music?
Do you remember the first song you ever wrote.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Uh well, actually, yeah, I mean back in the day.
I mean I was sixteen or seventeen and wrote a song.
I remember, it's called Eileen, and we I recorded it
with at Jerry's studio, which he had in his house
at the time. And but that was so long ago,
(07:57):
I mean it was I was a teenager. Really, that
was before college. That was you know, that was back
in the day, I'm telling you. But anyway, yeah, I
started writing songs more more consistently with the Jaggers later on,
like around nineteen sixty eight, sixty nine, seventy, you know,
(08:20):
so and and basically we wrote together. The group kind
of wrote things together.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
So Eileen, what kind of style was that song?
Speaker 1 (08:28):
It was like a fifties kind of groove? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Was it do wop or was it more rock?
Speaker 1 (08:38):
It was it was not do oop, but it was
just like a love song. I don't know. It just
one of my early one of my early things. I
don't even remind remember half of it.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
You know. When I listened to Donnie Iris, I think
of a fantastic voice, and I think of herr remonies.
Uh yeah, yeah, When did you become interested in putting
together that that voice of yours. When did you discover
your voice?
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Well, I think I think basically, my my biggest, my biggest,
the guy that I looked up to most was Marvin Gay.
His voice was just it was just great and and
I tried to emulate him the best I could and
(09:34):
and and that's pretty much where I got my chops.
And then with the harmonies and stuff, I just kind
of like layered vocals and we did like back on
the Streets and stuff like that, they did a lot
of vocal layering. And but but yeah, I mean I
discovered really that I had this this screaming, kind of
(09:57):
screaming on tey kind of voice that that I got
picked up from Marvin Gay.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Really are informing the Jaggers. Tell us about the formation
of the band. Who's were you the Were you the originator?
Speaker 1 (10:11):
No? No, I was not. Actually there's only let me see,
trying to think the Jaggers had changed changed members several times.
The original Jaggers, Now I'm talking way back. I would
think there may be one member left when we did
(10:37):
when we did Rapper and stuff like that. So I mean, yeah,
there was just a lot of changes.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Who came up with the name Jaggers.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Uh, the whole, the whole band. We we we got
that and not from Mick Jagger either. We got it
from uh jagger bushes and p a we've all had,
you've all had fucking jagger balls. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Well, you you grew up in Elwood City. Shenango township
isn't that far away? And Shenango the word Sinango is
an Indian word for jagger bushes.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Yes, are you kidding me? No, that's pretty cool man.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Yeah, my father taught at Shanango High School, so not
too far away from Elwood City.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
So no, not far at all.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
So tell us about Elwood City and how you know,
growing up in you know that area. How did that
influence your music?
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Oh? Geez. Actually, when I was in Elwood City, basically
those were my you know, my early days with my
mom learning how to sing, and uh, that was basically it.
But after once I left Elwood then we, uh, you know,
(12:02):
we were able to expand. But uh, I didn't do
a whole lot in Elwood City except to grow up
there and go to the pool hall.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
And all right, so you got the name Jaggers. Yeah,
what kind of aspirations did those young fellows have and
did you think that do you think you would achieve
what you were able to achieve?
Speaker 1 (12:28):
They were serious musicians, they were very, uh, very into it.
And so I was lucky that way, because a lot
of bands, you know, they break up so so easily,
and but I was lucky in the fact that everyone
went to stick to it and uh and basically that's
(12:48):
what happened. We just kept going and going. We did
change members some you know, throughout the throughout the uh,
throughout the history of the band. But you know, we
we thought we would improve the band every time we
made changes.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
And what was your role with that band?
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Oh? Actually we had like three three lead singers, so
you know, we've kind of split the lead singing duties.
I played guitar, rhythm, guitar, and that was basically it.
Everybody in the band sang m hm.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
And how how were you able to get signed? What
was the story there behind that?
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Oh? Yeah, well, I mean it took it took a while,
but we we ran into Joe Rock. You remember Joe yeah,
the name, yeah, yeah, he he he. He helped write
Since I Don't Have You by the Skyliners, and he
(14:01):
had a lot to do with him. But we met Joe.
Uh we were I think we were playing at a
gig somewhere. He came to see us and we became friends.
He became a manager and he has signed with Neil
Bogart from Buddha Canvas Suture Records. Yep, we got turned down,
(14:29):
oh at least a half a dozen times by different companies,
but Neil Bogart gave it a shot. And you know,
like they say, the rest of history.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Well, when you recorded your first record, where did you
record the record?
Speaker 1 (14:46):
It was in New York, a place called Century Studios
in New York.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
And what was that experience?
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Like, oh, it was great, it was you know was
It's hard to explain. You know, it's one of the
first time during the studio, the serious studio, and uh,
it just it was fun. I mean we just have
fun just doing our thing there. But basically, yeah, it
(15:17):
was just a fun time. Man.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
So when you recorded with the Jaggers, do you remember
the first single was that was released from that band?
Speaker 1 (15:27):
The first single the Jaggers?
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Yeah? Oh, and did you get any airplay?
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Well, actually we did, actually that the rapper let me
think the rapper we had a song called, uh that's
why baby I Love you. We had one called oh
what was it? Jimmy Ross saying it, Oh, I can't
(15:57):
think of the name right now. I've got a fine
my way back home. That's when we were doing uh
we were doing records with Kenny Gamble and me on
us up in Philadelphia.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Wow, okay, some legendary names. Yeah. So do you remember
the first time hearing a Jagger song on the radio?
Speaker 1 (16:17):
I do, I do. I remember I was in Freedom,
Pennsylvania and driving along an oncome on the radio comes
the rapper. Oh yeah, what hell's going on? Man? Yeah,
that was a great, great experience.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Now you wrote that song, day Agan, you wrote that song? Yeah,
So tell us about writing that song and did you
think it it would become what it is today?
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Well, I mean that's what you hope happens. But I
woke up during the middle of the night and with
this song in my head I had. I was smart
enough to write some of the up down and then
I brought it to the band and uh, you know,
they put their little way their input into it, and uh,
that's how we that's how we did it.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
And so then it becomes it becomes a hit and
so what how does that? How does that change your fortunes?
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Uh? You know what I mean? Do you really hope
that the hit happens? But you know, and you're thinking
along those lines because you're kind of young and you're like,
you know, ready to go and uh, but then you
get turned down by record companies and finally somebody gives
(17:41):
you a chance with the song and the next thing
you know, it's a hit. You want to you just
you can't believe it. You just you know what I mean,
you just I can't explain it. Wonderful thing.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
So you get some success with the rapper and you
can continue with the with the Jaggers. What's what? How
did how did that band end up with your participation?
How did that? How did the you know? You know,
were you able to you weren't able to follow it
up with another record?
Speaker 1 (18:17):
Oh no, no, we we struggled in after the rapp
or the band struggled, we end up breaking up. We
went our separate ways. And I remember at that time
I went to Jerry's studio in New Brighton and I
was working there as an engineer for Jerry and uh
(18:41):
and uh uh that was that was a good thing too.
Because what happened after that was Wild Cherry had come
into the studio to do some recording and that's where
I met Mark as say, who is my partner in songwriting? Uh?
(19:06):
With with the Cruisers, and he Wild Cherry was doing
some some tracking and uh uh. And and shortly after
that the guitar player had left the band and Bob
Crecy from the from Wild Cherry had asked me to
(19:27):
join them, you know, to go on the road with them,
and so I said, hell, yeah, you know what I mean.
So uh while while we were out on the road,
Mark the asset was my roommate on the road. So
you know, we we did, like I don't know. We
(19:48):
spent a couple of years with Wild Cherry doing gigs,
great gigs really. And after after that, Mark and I
had decided that we wanted to go in and do
our own stuff, and so we went down to Jerry's
(20:09):
the same studio, and we worked on we worked on
like an album of stuff and that was what that became.
Back on the streets.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Well before that, well before that, before that, you put
out a single because back on May twenty eighth of
this year, all the way till today, I do a
little contest called who sings It? And I play a
song and they have to guess who it is. And
(20:43):
I'm going to play a song and I want, I
want to find out the story behind this song because
here he goes, let's see if you can.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
There's a song, is.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
All right? Does that song sound familiar?
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Yes, it absolutely does. I don't believe you.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
All day, every day, for for for three weeks, people
I ask people, do you know who it is? And
it wasn't until today we got a winner and they
figured it out. And to me, I can hear. So
tell me the story behind the song, because it's not
a flavor that we're we're not familiar with Donnie Iris's sound,
(21:35):
but there's there's a little bit. So tell me the
story behind the song.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
Yeah, we well, Mark and I when we first got together,
we just were not we weren't real sure what we
wanted to do. We just uh, I mean disco I
think was kind of happening at that time, and we
just said, okay, let's do this record. We take an
old song and revive it and uh, and we came
up with that. But you know, it wasn't too much
(22:01):
longer where we just decided we wanted to do something
a little a little more serious.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
Yeah, so we did.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
But we had fun doing that stuff. I mean, what,
what's the name of that song?
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Because of you? Because of you?
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Yep, yep. And that's originally it was done by Tony Bennett.
I believe it was.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
It was and the winner said they thought that you
sped the tape off a bit. Is that true?
Speaker 1 (22:36):
I have no idea. Probably did. I mean, we tried
everything back in them days, but I don't know, I
don't remember. Mark would remember, he would remember. I'll have
to ask someone.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Okay, because because I could hear it because of just
the the vocal dexterity that you have, and you you
certainly stretch stat quite a bit on that song. Now
it is not something that we're used to when once
you become King Cool, it's a totally different sound. So
so so now we're moving into the cool King Cool era.
(23:16):
So tell me about, you know, working with with Mark,
and what was the idea and how did you get
signed and so so tell us where we are in
your in your narrative.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Okay, we Mark and I after we while we were
doing back on the streets, we he had Connections in
Cleveland with Mike Belcon and Carl Maduri and hold on
a second. So he they said, yeah, go ahead into
(23:56):
the studio and see where we come up with. And
so we did. We went in. We came up with
the Back on the Street album, and we initially we thought, well,
let me back up a little bit. We had to write.
(24:17):
We had to write a bunch of songs first, and
we went into my basement up in Beaver Falls in
Patterson Township. Piano in my basement and Mark and I
sat at the piano and we wrote like three or
four songs that to get started, and one of them
was Leah Yeah an the others I think Agnes was
(24:42):
later on Yeah, like the stuff we wrote in the studio.
So you know, I think that one came on a
little a little later.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Well, tell me about Aliyah. How did that song come about?
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Well, there's there's a story to that. That song. It's
not a very interesting one, but it's you know, it's
it's it's fine. We had we we wanted to write
a song that had a chant, like a Gregorian chant
in the song, and we we just started singing all
(25:16):
the h and uh and we I thought Hey, that's
that can be a name. Let's let's make it a Leah.
Make make it after the mirror. And and we we
were We worked on it, worked on it and worked
on the lyrics, and uh, that's how that song came about.
(25:38):
But whether whether back I had met a girl, well,
actually I didn't. I didn't know her, but her name
was Leah. Uh. I kind of knew her from Afar.
I think she was dating the drummer in the band
at the time. But she was gorgeous. It was just
(25:59):
you with this and uh, and I kind of like, uh,
I thought, yeah, let me, uh, let me name this
this record after her. So I did. And years later
I had gotten into the real estate business, some mortgage business,
(26:22):
and I had met a woman there who who I
did some business with. We did some you know, uh
real estate business, and I find out that her mother.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
Was Leah.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
She I mean, I I was slabbered at because I said,
are you kidding me? Uh? She was like yeah, I
mean you want to meet her? I said yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Those years well, Donnie, I got to wonder how many
Pittsburgh women were named after that song. It's it's It
wasn't a popular name until your song and then wow.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
Yeah, it was very popular. You're right, and a lot
of people come up to me and say, hey, my
dad named me after you.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Not so many a great song, but not a lot
of Agneses, but a lot of Aliah's.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
Yeah, you know what, that's the same too, because Agnes
is a great name.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
Well, tell me about that song. That's one of my favorites.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Yeah, me too. It's a uh actually, the reason we
wrote that song is because her name reminds uh rhymes
with everything. Think about it, hmm madness, Agnes madness. Yeah, okay,
(28:00):
that and that's we tried to rhyme. That's all it was.
It was a bunch of rhymes. There was no no
woman involved, there was none of that. And it worked
out great. I mean, that's it's one of my favorite songs.
If you do.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
So you signed with m c A. What was that
process like?
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Well, initially we we signed with the oh, let's see
Midwest Records.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Right right, Yes, I remember that.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Okay, that was Mike Belcon and Carl Madury's label out
of Cleveland, and uh and that's where it came out of.
And those guys they worked, they worked at records like crazy.
I mean, they got me on uh, radio stations all
over the country. They really did they you know, we
(28:54):
were we were like, oh my god, this is something.
There's a there's a there's a buzz out there for sure.
And and so I mean Midwest did all they could
at that point, and we had to have a like
a major label pick it up to finish it off.
And and that's that's how we got tigned to mc A.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
And so you're the you know, the the you know,
Donnie Iris persona that we all know and love is
is being formulated. Do you remember any of those tours?
Did you were you uh? Did you tour with anybody
that we would know?
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Oh? Yeah, I mean we toured with a bunch of people.
Our first tour was with naswith and then we opened
for a bunch of different people all we I mean,
you know, we're on the road opening for different people
An Agent, uh, the Romantic, A Paul and Oaks. Uh,
(30:04):
you know, it's just a bunch of different bands. I
can't even think about all of them right now. But yeah,
I mean we were we were out on the way,
we were touring and we were just oh and loverboard.
We had the best fund in love. In fact, towards
the entire tours, the entire Midwest, and those people out
there were starving for entertainment. And we played these big
(30:26):
places like in Lincoln, Nebraska and places like that Ames, Iowa,
and Uh, they were just the places were packed with people.
This packed. We had such a good time. So it
was a good.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
You're a young man out on the road, yeah, having fun.
So any any stories that you can uh that you
you can pg, stories that you can tell us about
what was it like being on the road as a
young man.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
I ain't gonna tell you.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
Ship that tells us a lot, Donnie.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
That is the best response for that question. I can imagine.
That's amazing. Okay, I didn't lose you, right, you're still there, Okay,
all right? And so how did the Pittsburgh's reaction to
to uh back on the streets.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
Oh, I mean it was it was just great. I
mean that's when let me see who was Jimmy and Steed.
We're still at TV, yep, And I remember we went
up to we went up to the Granadi's house and UH,
and Jimmy and Steed came up. They wanted to hear,
(31:59):
they wanted to hear the uh the album. Uh so
they they they heard it and they went right on
it the next day. Man, they just like were right
on top of it. And you know, and to this day, like,
uh and I still think about that. I mean, it
was just such a great time. They were just they
(32:22):
were great guys, great guys. You know.
Speaker 5 (32:25):
The Granadis have a story about you when they were
first Yes, yes, they like to tell it.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
It's a nice story, Donnie.
Speaker 5 (32:32):
When they were when they were first starting out, they
had a gig and they had equipment trouble I think
it was, and they they knocked on your door and
and they begged you for some help.
Speaker 4 (32:47):
And I believe and I know you.
Speaker 5 (32:48):
How do you remember that story or do Yeah, they'd
like to tell it because I mean, it says a
lot about you.
Speaker 4 (32:56):
You helped this young group out.
Speaker 1 (32:59):
I think they need some microphone.
Speaker 4 (33:01):
Was that what it was?
Speaker 1 (33:02):
Okay, I'm pretty sure. Yeah I remember, and I said, yeah,
I just think it.
Speaker 5 (33:10):
Yeah, Well, they remembered it. They're very grateful. They like
to tell that story a lot.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
Oh. Yeah, they they came from the same neighborhood. I
gave him us falls. Yeah, right along the corner.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
So you know the back on the streets. Uh, you're
you're working with with Mark. Tell us about that relationship
and how that developed into a song writing team that
that that really really gave us some fantastic hits.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
Well, I'll tell you we I mean, we were just
very serious about it. I mean we wanted to do
something and I thought Mark was the perfect guy for
me to do. I was saying that the Street Kids.
He was like classically trained musician who you know who
(34:04):
it brought. He was brilliant. I mean, he's a brilliant.
Watch right now. He's an attorney in Cleveland music uh,
music attorney in Staven for a big phone. But he's
he graduated from Kate bushn University in like two and
(34:25):
a half years. But he's just he's an amazing he know,
he's he's boy.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
So tell me about his backstory. Maybe I should get
him on the phone. Maybe we need to bring We
need Mark on the on the on the podcast. That's
what we need to do.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
So.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Go ahead.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
It's backstory is he actually came up as an accordion player.
Oh jesus, he was just a kid. We were maybe
fifteen fourteen or fifteen years old and Uh, I mean
he he's great. According and then then he got independle
(35:15):
and synthesizers and all that stuff, and he was he
could definitely handle it. Was it was, it was like
like waking up in the movie for.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
You know, when it comes to the album back on
the streets. So many people obviously know Aliyah and Agnes,
but there are a couple of songs on that album
that I just absolutely love you You're Only Dreaming, I
Can't hear You as another one of my favorites. Was
there any particular song on that album that you like, Wow,
that's that song is going to be a hit and
(35:52):
it wasn't released.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
Well, uh, you know the one, the one that everybody
was talking about. Yeah, that's for sure, right, I mean,
there's some other songs going there. You're Only Dreaming, I
think it's one of my favorites. And the other one
you mentioned, what was it? You just mentioned it?
Speaker 2 (36:15):
Oh, I can't hear you.
Speaker 1 (36:18):
Yeah, I can't hear you. It was a good song,
but lyrically it was it wasn't going to get on
the radio at that time because of the lyricist, but
nowadays it would be no big deal.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
Then you follow up that song with King Cool, which
is turned into an absolute classic, and especially here in Pittsburgh. Yeah,
tell us about that album.
Speaker 1 (36:45):
Well, we went to Jerry's the same place to record it,
and we did all the recording there. The only thing
differently we did with that record compared to the first record.
Instead of mixing it ourselves, we we we had somebody
in New York. Well, we did the mix like that.
We had somebody in New York through the I think
(37:09):
it was both Sterling songs, and they did the they
did the final uh, you know, the final final mixing.
So it was flip a sound the way it's supposed
to on.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
The radio, you know, and and there's there's Uh, the
standout track is probably Love is like a rock Sweet Merrilee.
What what's the other one? That's the white level, Yeah,
some great songs. Tell us about writing some of those songs,
of the writing session on that particular album, What was
(37:43):
it like?
Speaker 1 (37:46):
Most of it was most of those songs were written
in the studio. We just went in started jamming. Uh,
that's how we came up with Love Is like a
rock Marty Marty Lee or guitar player came up at
that risk and everybody else. It's kind of like learned
it into the to the riffs and we we we
(38:12):
we separated it, put it together and and we after
after the after the song was organized, we Mark and
I wrote the lyrics and uh, and we had a song.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Well that was the kind of that was like early eighties.
That was when MTV and Friday night videos were So
now you have you have to start shooting videos.
Speaker 1 (38:42):
Yeah, yeah, well actually we had done that on the
first album Leah was a was I think played on
MTV like early on. If I'm not mistaken, am I right?
Speaker 2 (38:57):
I don't remember, Well the MTV started in nineteen eighty
do you actually preceded MTV, But they did pick up
a lot of those videos that that so what it was,
so now not only do you have to write songs
perform them, now you have to you have to be
an actor. You have to be filmed. Well you know, yeah,
you're you're the you're like not only the king cool,
(39:20):
but you're like, you know, one of the forerunners of
MTV and and in the videos, so that you're so
what was that like?
Speaker 1 (39:29):
Well, I mean I didn't really see it that way.
I mean, we I remember h MTA when we just
to do some videos. They flew us off to Los
Angeles and that's where we did. We did Leah in
Los Angeles. Who we did Agnes in San Francisco. Okay, yeah,
(39:57):
down in the Bay Area. It was great, it would
be great. It's a great time. But yeah, and then
you know, I think I think MCA prayed that. I'm
pretty sure they did, but it didn't really it didn't
really happen until Love was Like a Rock and that
was our live performance of Blossom, uh, where they picked
(40:21):
up on that.
Speaker 2 (40:25):
And you you've been embraced by Pittsburgh and Cleveland, which
is kind of funny because those two cities are fairly
competitive and you've been I grew up in you know,
I grew up in Newcastle as similar as you, so,
you know, so I was kind of in between those
two cities as well. But how did you make how
(40:45):
did you balance the Cleveland Pittsburgh rivalry?
Speaker 1 (40:51):
Well, you know, musically, Uh, it was not a problem musically. Uh.
You know, when you talk about the Steelers and stuff
like that, then you haven't brought but because they used
to beat the crap out of the brown but they
they there. I can remember there. Uh, Uh, they were
(41:14):
blacked out in Cleveland that I can remember all those
guys coming up to my house and and watching the
Browns and Steelers and watching the Browns get there.
Speaker 2 (41:24):
At Yeah, I'm one of the few people because growing
up in Newcastle. I grew up in a little town,
New Wilmington. Are you familiar with New Wilmington?
Speaker 1 (41:33):
Oh? Yeah, yeah, I have a good friend.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
Okay, I was able to watch you know, the Steelers
on from Youngstown, and so I was one of the
few people who actually saw the immaculate reception on television
because it was blacked out in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 6 (41:51):
Right, all right, so so let's get back to uh,
we're we're currently on King Cool because that's when, you know,
Donnie Iris fever was just exploding, especially.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
In this area. Who were you touring with that? And
and uh, you know, how did your fortunes change with
that album?
Speaker 1 (42:18):
Oh it's a king cool album. We I remember we
were doing a lot of really good shows, a lot
of headlining shows and uh, you know, there a lot
of brought of different tons in his Bosston, Dallas and
places like that. For Pittsburgh, we did the old Stanley Theater.
Speaker 2 (42:40):
Do you remember that absolutely.
Speaker 1 (42:43):
Yeah, Yeah, there's the old Stanley Theater. I think Norman
and the Grenanni's open for us there. I'm not mistaken. Yeah,
but I remember that was that was like coming home
to a two big crowd, and it was it was
(43:03):
it was a really great thing. The band was cooking
at the time, and we were like, we're having such
a good time.
Speaker 2 (43:13):
So then you're you're moving to The High and the Mighty,
which is your third album.
Speaker 1 (43:19):
Yeah, Well, to be honest with you, we had a
lot of trouble with that album. We had like, uh,
we had a problem with with the the recording tape
that we were using, and there was a problem with it.
It was the magnetic stuff on it was coming more often. Uh,
(43:40):
it was just the it was. It was not a
it was not something that we could speak proud really.
I mean we we had a couple of good teams
on there, I thought, But but all in all that
that that kind of like was the Boundfall, Uh just
(44:00):
put us in a bad place. We were like, you know,
just we were nice. We were tired of it. We
were just we need we needed a break. I think
right after that we did take a break.
Speaker 2 (44:18):
Well that that happens to a lot of bands, and
music starts to change, and as you get into the
mid eighties. We released Fortune for ten h Well had
a song called Stage Door Johnny, which you know, being
in That's My Name. I always loved that one. And
of course my favorite Donnie Iris song is do You Compute?
(44:40):
And that's off that album.
Speaker 1 (44:42):
Yeah, do You Compute was a great song. Man, It's
just uh, we did a video for that. Have you
seen that?
Speaker 2 (44:49):
I have absolutely one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (44:52):
Yeah, it's a good video. It's yeah, we had Well,
I'm glad you mentioned that. We went to Cincinnati, need
to do that some studio there, studio studio. We did that.
(45:13):
But yeah, I mean that was a good time. That
was like I remember the girls in the in the video.
She was kind of cool and uh, but yeah, it
was a great time.
Speaker 2 (45:28):
And then No Must No Fuss, which is uh, you know,
injured in the Game of Love, which is a great song.
But music is starting to change. Do you do you
feel that as a recording artist.
Speaker 1 (45:41):
Yeah, absolutely, we were trying to do something as basic
as possible, not a lot of overdubs or any of
that stuff. There's uh, there's a couple of songs on there.
I really liked had fun doing them. Uh, the song
about yours? The name of that? Oh you're thinking it?
(46:06):
Do you know the one I'm talking about? But about eyes?
Speaker 2 (46:13):
No?
Speaker 1 (46:15):
No, I Am Your Do you know that one?
Speaker 2 (46:19):
I don't? I don't cry baby is on that one?
Is that's That's not the song you're thinking of.
Speaker 1 (46:24):
No, no, it's I Am Your Eyes, which I thought
was foods Can Be. I really liked that.
Speaker 2 (46:33):
So looking back at your career, where was Where was
that sweet spot the time you had the most fun
that you felt, Yeah, this is this is where where
it's all happy for you?
Speaker 1 (46:48):
I would have to say the lover Board too. I
mean that was that was the most fun I ever had.
Really opened for a lot of different parents, but opening
for the lover Boards was it was the best me.
Me and Mike Reno became good friends. And although I'm
seeing much these that, you know, when we do get together,
(47:08):
it shows it's always good seeing you know. But yeah,
I think I think I would say that was the
best best time of a of our career. As far
as live performances.
Speaker 2 (47:22):
So well, you you were you toured with lover Boy
just a couple of years ago.
Speaker 1 (47:30):
Well, yeah, I mean they we opened for them and
uh six and uh r e O and lover boards
on a couple of those a couple of those games.
But uh yeah, I mean this is just a few
years ago, you're right, yeah.
Speaker 2 (47:51):
And then this might be a sensitive subject, but I
really want to ask you about it. It was shortly
after that tour you were diagnosed with cancer. How are
how is your health? How are you doing right now?
Speaker 1 (48:03):
I'm doing great right now. Cancer is all gone. It
took a toll on me, that's for sure. But I
mean I have no more cancer. I do. I do
like the scans every once in a while, you know,
we're picking in that tube.
Speaker 4 (48:20):
And yeah, m m ri, MRI scans.
Speaker 1 (48:25):
Yeah, I uh but everything looks good. Every day's found.
So thank the Lord, I do all that.
Speaker 4 (48:34):
You've got more to do, right, I got.
Speaker 1 (48:37):
More to do. We've got a bunch of shaws booked
us this year. We're booked up all the way through
March of next year. It's Robert Morris again. So we
have a nice tour for me that this summer.
Speaker 2 (48:49):
Do you think you'll ever stop performing?
Speaker 1 (48:54):
Well, I mean, I'm sure there's going to come a
day where I can't do it anymore. But you know,
I'm gonna go aslong as I can because I feel
pretty good. The band sill sounds great, and uh, we're
having fun. The crowds are day and you know they're
right there with me. Man, it's great.
Speaker 2 (49:14):
The one the one characteristic when when Donnie Iris is
up on stage, the one word that comes to mind
for me is energy.
Speaker 1 (49:24):
Yeah, yeah, we do have We do have that, that's
for sure. Yeah, we That's what we do. Then, that's
that's that's our thing in Uh, you know, that's just
that's just our show.
Speaker 2 (49:40):
Do you still do you still love it? Do you
still have a passion for it?
Speaker 1 (49:44):
Absolutely, there's no doubt about it. And I still have
a fashion for it. I can't wait for our next show,
which is June twenty ninth in uh Kent, Ohio at
a place called the Kent Stage. Have you heard of it?
Speaker 2 (49:59):
Yes, absolut slowly.
Speaker 1 (50:01):
Yeah yeah, great great venue, great venue.
Speaker 2 (50:04):
Do you see yourself recording any new music?
Speaker 1 (50:08):
Uh? Not not really. I mean we're we're not in
a recording mood or recording whatever you want to call.
But right now we're concentrating on shows and maybe someday
we'll go back in and do some stuff, but it's
really not on the calendar.
Speaker 2 (50:28):
Do you still write any new music?
Speaker 1 (50:32):
No, we have Mark and I have nothing writing any music.
Both of us are pretty busy with these shows. And
then he's a music attorney in Cleveland, so he doesn't
have a lot of time to, you know, to really
sit down with me and write songs. But he never knows.
I mean, something that happened we decided to write again,
but there's nothing in any near future.
Speaker 2 (50:55):
You and Mark are so it's almost inseparable. How how
have you been able to maintain that relationship for such
a long period of time.
Speaker 1 (51:04):
Well, I mean the sounds cliche or whatever, but we're
like brothers. I mean, it's been years since we've known
each other, and we just respect each other's pounce and
we we get we get the best out of each
(51:25):
other every night we go off our states.
Speaker 2 (51:29):
What do you think is Donnie Iris's legacy?
Speaker 1 (51:34):
M oh, geez, wh will not? I just hope I
leave behind a lasting memory for everybody. And I have
a great family I have, I have a lot to
(51:56):
I have a lot to live for it really, so
I have no plans I'm bowing out any time.
Speaker 2 (52:02):
Sure, good for you. I don't want I don't want
to see you retire. It just uh, you've been part
of our lives for so long. I can't imagine, you know,
not having Donnie Iris up on.
Speaker 1 (52:16):
Stage say, I appreciate it. Well, that's all appreciate.
Speaker 2 (52:24):
Is there anything else in uh, in Donnie Iris's career
did you you you know, like a story or anything
that we didn't cover that you think ought to be
included in the podcast.
Speaker 1 (52:34):
Well, I'll tell you what. Man, you guys did a
good job. Thank you. Yeah, it's been wonderful talking to
you and uh and going over all this stuff as
much as I can remember. But I'm glad. I'm glad
I did it.
Speaker 4 (52:50):
Glad you did it too, Donnie.
Speaker 1 (52:52):
Oh, thank you, Andy. I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (52:55):
Well, we're we're associated, we're the I do the morning
show on three WS and we're associated with DV. So
the next time you come in down you join them
in the studio, please stop by. I'd love to say hello.
Speaker 1 (53:07):
Okay, man, that sounds good. I'll try.
Speaker 2 (53:10):
Donnie, thank you so much for your time. You were
fantastic and I appreciate you sharing your stories.
Speaker 1 (53:16):
Thank you, I really really had a good time.
Speaker 2 (53:19):
Well good Hey, if you could put us a good
word with Mark, we'd love to talk to him and
get his version of maybe he'll tell the stories of
Speaker 1 (53:34):
I don't know.
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