Mary Weiss, Lead Singer of 1960s Pop Group the Shangri-Las, Dies at 75
PALM SPRINGS (AP) — Mary Weiss, the lead singer of the 1960s pop group the Shangri-Las, known for their hit songs like “Leader of the Pack,” has passed away at the age of 75.
Miriam Linna, founder of Weiss’ label, Norton Records, confirmed on Sunday that Weiss died on Friday in Palm Springs, California. The cause of her death has not been disclosed. Rolling Stone magazine was the first to report her passing.
The Shangri-Las, a group formed in the borough of Queens in New York City, consisted of two pairs of sisters. Mary Weiss and her sister Elizabeth “Betty” Weiss, along with twins Marguerite “Marge” Ganser and Mary Ann Ganser, met in school and began performing at school dances and teen hops during their teenage years.
After being signed by producer Artie Ripp to Kama Sutra Productions, the Shangri-Las achieved great success as a girl group with their tough, working-class image and emotionally charged songs about teen dreams and heartbreak, which dominated the radio waves in the mid-1960s. They derived their name from a restaurant in Queens.
Their first major hit, “Remember (Walking in the Sand),” reached the top 5 on the Billboard charts in 1964 under Red Bird Records. Weiss was just 15 years old when the song charted. The track, which was later covered by Aerosmith, was written by the renowned Brill Building pop songwriter-producer George “Shadow” Morton.
Morton played a crucial role in shaping the sound of the Shangri-Las, blending Ronettes-style R&B with intense teenage emotions. Their iconic single “Leader of the Pack,” co-written by Morton, became the top Billboard single of 1965. In the song, Weiss sang:
“My.
