Rock fans know “Ah! Leah!” — but there’s so much more to the story.<br /><br />In this episode, I’m joined by D.X. Ferris, author of The Story of Donnie Iris and The Cruisers, for a deep dive into the career of Donnie Iris — from his early days with The Jaggerz and Wild Cherry to his breakout success with The Cruisers and the timeless power-pop anthem “Ah! Leah!”<br /><br />We explore how Iris crafted one of the most recognizable hooks in rock radio history, why his music still resonates decades later, and the perseverance that built a lasting career far beyond a single hit. Ferris shares insights from his book, behind-the-scenes stories, and perspective on what makes Donnie Iris such a uniquely enduring artist.<br /><br />If you think you know Donnie Iris, think again.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Story-Donnie-Iris-Cruisers/dp/0692997466" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Purchase a copy of <i>The Story of Donnie Iris and The Cruisers</i></a><br /><i></i><br /><a href="https://linktr.ee/dxferris?utm_source=ig&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=link_in_bio&amp;fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGng7fm3DsQOQFpfsUcWB4CZNjT3s9lNNksrcYyXzH_EHv-qhoTVNJz6XMowSA_aem_IuVbuhKJEtNCpaZMDGoX4w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Find out more about D.X. Ferris</a><br /><br /><i>----------</i><i></i><br /><i></i><br />🎧 <b>Listen Ad-Free on Patreon</b><br />Support Booked On Rock and get every new episode completely commercial-free with the Backstage Pass.<br />Join here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BookedOnRock<br /><i><b></b></i><br /><i><b>🛒 Old Glory -  Iconic music and sports fan merch<br />💰 Get 15% OFF | Promo Code: BOOKEDONROCK<br /><a href="https://oldglory.com/discount/BOOKEDONROCK" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://oldglory.com/discount/BOOKEDONROCK</a></b></i><br /><i><br />Booked On Rock is part of <a href="https://goboneless.lovable.app/?fbclid=IwY2xjawOMsP5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF2cEY4eFB5TmpSVUluSTVEc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHiXRejfcz_gRmAxaQK4dbTkOj2N59C0pfXMJWeqnykjej-GyrqUfijU-CoaM_aem_YNBvODDs-m0nzGcX5CiKfA&amp;brid=dSbyFOgxjRZ6bBq2zjvCbQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Boneless Podcasting Network</a><br /> <br /><a href="https://www.bookedonrock.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BookedOnRock.com</a><br /> <br /><a href="https://bookedonrock-shop.fourthwall.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Booked On Rock Store</a><br /> <br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbqUFiA-IGq97wkB5FEJB4Q" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Booked On Rock YouTube Channel</a><br /> <br /><b>Follow The Booked On Rock with Eric Senich:</b><br /><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/bookedonrock.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BLUESKY</a><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/bookedonrockpodcast" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FACEBOOK</a><br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/bookedonrockpodcast" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">INSTAGRAM</a><br /><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@bookedonrock" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TIKTOK</a><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/bookedonrock" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">X</a><br /> <br /><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/indie-store-finder" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Find Your Nearest Independent Bookstore</a><br /> <br /><b>Contact The Booked On Rock Podcast:</b> [email protected]<br /> <br /><b>The Booked On Rock Music:</b> “Whoosh” by <a href="https://www.crowander.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Crowander</a> / “Last Train North” &amp; “No Mercy” by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCALNf7YM2pEGJvIHf1zxftA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TrackTribe</a></i>