Fresh from his 82nd birthday party with Special Guest drummers;
Joe Vitale and Joe Vitale Jr.
Donnie Iris
Donnie Iris found his early successes while performing with The Jaggerz ” The Rapper” and Wild Cherry. While with Wild Cherry in the late 70’s Donnie Iris found his identity as such, after performing under his birth name Dominic Lerace for the earlier part of his career. Struggling to build off the success of “Play that Funky Music”, Wild Cherry would break up in 1979.
Nevertheless, Iris had already sunk his teeth into another project with fellow bandmate Mark Avsec. Their first release saw
the disco-influenced single “Bring on the Eighties” in 1979; however, it failed to garner attention. Iris and Avsec decided to go in a harder direction for their next release and returned to the studio with guitarist Marty Lee, bassist Albritton McClain and drummer Kevin Valentine, who were in the band Breathless with Avsec, to record his first album. This line-up would form what would become – Donnie Iris and the Cruisers.
They released the first album in July of 1980, “Back on The Streets” through Midwest Records based out of Cleveland, Ohio. Thanks to the track “Ah! Leah!” receiving airplay in Boston, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh, MCA Records signed Iris to a five-album deal then re-releasing the album nationally. Since then, Donnie Iris & The Cruisers have gone through line-up changes including current bassist, Paul Goll. They continue on – releasing eleven studio albums, two live albums, two compilation albums. and continue to tour throughout Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Joe Vitale
Born in Canton, Ohio, Vitale is a veteran musician and drummer whose career has spanned over 55 years of touring, recording, song writing, and producing with legendary and Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Fame artists. Along with vocals, he also plays percussion, keyboards and flute. A dedicated professional, his quality of performance is evident in his resume.
He has recorded and toured with Buffalo Springfield, Ted Nugent, Joe Walsh, Dan Fogelberg, Peter Frampton, The Eagles, Crosby, Stills and Nash, and CSNY to name a few. In addition, he recorded with Rick Derringer, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Ronnie Wood, Van Morrison, Carl Wilson, Don Felder, Boz Scaggs, John Entwhistle and many others.
Joe Vitale Jr.
Music is in his blood. Maybe literally. This multi-instrumentalist is the son of legendary rock drummer Joe Vitale, and spent his early years cutting his teeth on the road with Joe Walsh, The Stephen Stills Blues Band, and Crosby, Stills and Nash.
The revolution is expanding… His award-winning, self-directed video for “Never Look Back” has over 300-thousand YouTube views.
Ravenwood / Joe Vitale Jr. is currently touring and working on a follow-up album.
