Lou Christie had a gig in California and Porky Chedwick is pushinโ platters for the big man upstairs, leaving Donnie Iris to work the stage magic, with a lot of help from his friends, tonight at the Hard Rock Cafe.
The three music greats were inducted at Pittsburgh Rock โN Roll Legends Awards at the second annual gala benefiting the Cancer Caring Center.
Pork the Tork died last year at 96 after a 60-plus-year radio career, but hearing his old clips brought his spirit to the room. He was represented by his wife, Jeannie, and her son Ben Sidon, who reminded us that โhe had more lines than Bell telephone.โ
โThis morning I had a very long conversation with my husband,โ Ms. Chedwick said tearfully. โHe said to tell them heโs sorry that he cannot be here. Heโs making clouds and heโs polishing stars for the children of Pittsburgh.โ
Legacy Legend winner Christie sent a video message thanking Porky for being the first jock to play his breakout hit โThe Gypsy Cried.โ Ed Salamon, radio exec and author of โPittsburghโs Golden Age of Rock โnโ Roll,โ accepted for Christie.
In typical Donnie mode, Iris didnโt take much credit for his great career.
โI want to thank my mother for getting me started in this business,โ he said. โMy mother was gonna come. Sheโs 93! She couldnโt make it.โ
His Cleveland-based manager Mike Belkin called the 72-year-old rocker โthe Energizer Bunnyโ and said, โIโve been working with Donnie since 1980 and have enjoyed every minute of it.โ
The sizzling jam started with Jack Hunt (Johnny Angel) and Frank Czuri (Silencers/Igniters/Skyliners) leading the all-star band in a wacky version โ what other version could there be? โ of the Porky theme.
The band did Lightninโ Lou proud with Angel firing up the high falsetto on โLightninโ Strikes.โ
Modern Legend nominees Billy Price and Joe Grushecky made their case for next year and did Pittsburgh proud with scorching versions of โPart Time Loveโ and โPumpinโ Iron.โ
Michael Glabicki led his nominated band Rusted Root in โSend Me on My Wayโ but not before thanking Iris for helping to give him the courage to perform back in the day.
The strikingly youthful Iris then rocked the Hard Rock like a Legend should with โLove Is Like a Rockโ and hometown anthem โAh! Leah!โ with Glabicki, Liz Berlin, Rick Witkowski and B.E. Taylor joining the chorus of โLeee-ahhs!โ
Itโs weird to say this rocked as much as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in Cleveland last week, but you had to hear them all doing โHanky Pankyโ and โThe Rapperโ to believe it.
โScott Mervis: smervis@post-gazette.com; 412-263-2576. Twitter: @scottmervis_pg.โ
First Published: April 24, 2015, 2:13 a.m.
