American rock singer born February 28, 1943, in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania. First gained prominence as vocalist for The Jaggerz ("The Rapper," 1970) before launching a solo career with the Cruisers band as backing musicians.
Released eleven studio albums starting with Back on the Streets (1980). Best-known single: "Ah! Leah!" (1980). Subsequent releases include King Cool (1981), The High and the Mighty (1982), and Fortune 410 (1983). The Cruisers — Mark Avsec (keyboards), Marty Lee (guitar), Albritton McClain (bass, later Paul Goll), and Kevin Valentine (drums) — have remained largely consistent. Iris continues to perform regionally in the Pittsburgh area.
