Donnie Iris

Donnie Iris came out of Pittsburgh in the early 1980s with a sound that mixed rock and blue-eyed soul. His first real hit was "Ah! Leah!" in 1979, which got him some attention on the radio. A couple years later, he put out "Color Me Blue," which became his most recognizable song even though some of his earlier fans weren't sure about its disco feel.

He kept writing and recording through the decade, with songs like "Tough World" and "Agnes" showing up on his albums. The band lineup shifted around him at times, but Iris stayed based in Pittsburgh, playing shows there regularly. He never became a huge national name, but he built a steady following, especially in the Midwest.

These days you can still hear "Ah! Leah!" and "Color Me Blue" on classic rock stations, and he'll occasionally play an acoustic version of the former. He's one of those artists who had a couple of songs that stuck around longer than his mainstream moment did.