I get a lot of inspiration from the audience feedback to our live shows.

Iris became a grandfather in the 2000s. Donnie learned how to sing from his mother and then from Tony Bennett and Marvin Gaye and was also a self-taught guitarist starting at about age 15. He was replaced by Steve McConnell.

Donnie Iris (born Dominic Ierace on February 28 1943) is an American rock musician known for his work with the Jaggerz and Wild Cherry during the 1970s and for his solo albums since the 1980s with his backing band the Cruisers. In addition to performing on the first three Jaggerz albums and the fourth and final Wild Cherry album Iris as a solo artist has released eleven studio albums one EP two live albums and two compilation albums. " He became known as a solo artist in the early 1980s with the #29 hit "Ah! Leah! and the #37 hit "Love Is Like a Rock".