Hundreds gather to say goodbye to Donnie Iris at the last place he ever played

Family, friends and fans of Donnie Iris met to say one final goodbye at the place where he made his farewell as a performer.

Hundreds of people lined up outside Citizens Live at the Wylie on the Lower Hill for a private memorial to honor the chart-topping singer and Beaver County native who was known as "King Cool." Outside the venue was a chalk drawing of Iris done by local artist Erik Greenawalt, also known online as "The Chalking Dad."

"I was amazed to watch the crowd build this morning because I was the first one here early this morning to be able to finish up the chalk art," said Greenawalt. "I just watched hundreds and hundreds of people pour in there to be able to remember a great one."

Attendees wore tour shirts, custom jackets with Iris' face or album covers and even CD cases to commemorate the 83-year-old Iris, who died on Oct. 26 after battling bladder cancer. Iris' last performance was on the stage at The Wylie's opening event on Sept. 28.

"It was the last place he played, and he opened the stage here, so just a tremendous set of circumstances," said Greenawalt. "He'll definitely be missed."

Jimmy Clark came to honor a man he once had the opportunity to play for as a drummer. Clark and his wife, Deanna, came from Cleveland Monday morning for the event.

"For me, because I grew up on his music, just to be able to play for him ... just to be able to play with people from my generation like that, it was awesome," said Clark. "It's the same thing that when Cleveland lost Michael Stanley, so Pittsburgh lost Donnie. Same level. There will never be another Donnie Iris."

Iris' first big hit came in 1970, when he wrote "The Rapper" with the band The Jaggerz. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, and No. 1 on the Record World singles chart. Then, as a solo artist, he released "Ah! Leah!" (which reached No. 29) and "Love Is Like a Rock" (No. 37).

Despite his success as a singer and his growing fame, those who knew him best say he was still the same person no matter where he went, and Pittsburgh claimed him as its own.

"It's just symbolic of what Pittsburgh is all about: about community and honoring our own," said Greenawalt.

A public memorial was held on Nov. 5 at Gabauer-Lutton Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Chippewa Township, Beaver County. Iris' funeral arrangements and burial will be conducted privately at another time.