Donnie Iris and The Cruisers to open for Journey at Aug. 6 Concert for Legends at HOF Fest

CANTON – Regional favorites and classic rockers Donnie Iris and The Cruisers will open for Journey at the Aug. 6 Concert for Legends during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival.

Known for the hit songs, " Love is Like a Rock" and "Ah! Leah!," Donnie Iris was announced Friday as the opener for the 8 p.m. show at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

The Concert for Legends is coordinated by the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls. Past headliners of the annual event have included Aerosmith, Maroon 5 and Imagine Dragons. Last summer's top act was country music star Brad Paisley.

Tickets for the Donnie Iris and Journey concert start at $59 and can be purchased at https://www.hofvillage.com/

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Donnie Iris has released more than 10 albums. Other popular songs include "The Rapper," which he wrote and sang as a member of The Jaggerz. Iris also was a member of the Ohio-based band Wild Cherry, which scored a Billboard smash with "Play That Funky Music" in the 1970s.

Journey, meanwhile, was a pop rock juggernaut of the 1980s, releasing a slew of hit songs, including "Wheel In The Sky," "Any Way You Want It," "Don't Stop Believin'," "Open Arms," "Faithfully," "Lights," "Only the Young," "Be Good to Yourself," "Lovin,' Touchin,' Squeezin'" and "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)."

The band has sold more than 100 million records, including two albums that individually have exceeded 10 million in sales. Journey was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. 

Journey released a new 15-track album on Friday titled, "Freedom," featuring "Let It Rain," "Together We Run," "Still Believe in Love," "Holdin On" and "United We Stand."

The band features founder Neal Schon (lead guitarist), Jonathan Cain, who joined the band in 1980 (keyboards, backing vocals), Arnel Pineda (lead vocals), Jason Derlatka (keyboards, backing vocals) and Deen Castronovo (drums and backing vocals). 

Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@gannett.com

On Twitter @ebalintREP