Mary Weiss, Lead Singer of The Shangri-Las, Passes Away at 75
Mary Weiss, the main singer of the 1960s pop band the Shangri-Las, known for songs like Leader of the Pack and Remember (Walking in the Sand), has passed away at 75. Multiple sources confirmed her death on Friday, January 19, 2024, in Palm Springs, California. Some sources have verified that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was the cause of her death.
A Pioneer of Girl Group Pop
The Shangri-Las, a band from Queens, New York, were two pairs of sisters: Mary Weiss and her sister Elizabeth "Betty" Weiss, and twins Marguerite "Marge" Ganser and Mary Ann Ganser. They formed in school and started performing at school dances and teen hops when they were teenagers.
Mary Weiss is pictured with her Shangri-Las bandmates Mary Ann Ganser and Marge Ganser. Once producer Artie Ripp signed them to Kama Sutra Productions, the Shangri-Las, known for their strong, working-class image, achieved great success as a girl group. Their songs, full of teenage dreams and heartbreak, became popular on the radio in the mid-1960s. They got their name from a restaurant in Queens.
Check out the video of The Shangri-Las -Leader Of The Pack.
The Shangri-Las' first hit, Remember (Walking in the Sand), reached the Billboard Top 5 in 1964 for Red Bird Records. It was written by George "Shadow" Morton, a pop songwriter-producer. Morton played a significant role in developing the Shangri-Las' sound, combining a Ronettes-style R&B with strong teenage emotions. This song was covered by Aerosmith later on. At the time of the hit, Weiss was just 15 years old.
"Leader of the Pack," co-written by Morton, became the top Billboard single of 1965. In the song, Mary Weiss sang:
"My folks were always putting him down They said he came from the wrong side of town They told me he was bad, but I knew he was sad That’s why I fell for the leader of the pack"
The Shangri-Las didn't stick around for long. They broke up in 1968 due to legal problems. However, they continued to be a groundbreaking all-female group.
“I truly believe a lot of men were considered artists, whether or not people wrote for them where women were considered products,” Weiss said in a 2007 interview at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame."
Mary Weiss on Her Solo Comeback After 40 Years of Silence
After the band broke up, Mary Weiss moved to San Francisco and stepped away from the music scene. She worked at an architectural firm for many years. It took four decades before she returned to recording new material.
Following the band's dissolution, Mary Weiss started their solo career in 2007. In 2007, she released her solo debut album titled Dangerous Game. Reflecting on her post-Shangri-Las years, Weiss mentioned to Rolling Stone in 2007, "I didn't even sing along to the car radio. When I put something down, I really put it down."
In Dangerous Game, Weiss captured some of the Shangri-Las' spirit and sound but from a more mature perspective. She expressed in an interview with New York magazine, "I just want to have fun now. And I'm going to. People can take advantage of you in your youth."
Mary Weiss, the Voice of the Shangri-Las, Dies at 75
Mary Weiss passed away at the age of 75 in her home in Palm Springs, California, on January 19, 2024. The cause of her death was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The news of her passing has led to a flood of tributes from fans and fellow musicians, praising her as a trailblazer and an icon in pop music. However, Her voice and style had a lasting impact on artists across different generations, including Blondie, the New York Dolls, Amy Winehouse, and Lana Del Rey.
Miriam Linna, who heads Weiss' label Norton Records, confirmed Weiss' passing on Facebook, expressing her affectionate remembrance. Weiss is survived by her sister Betty, who also performed with the Shangri-Las. Tragically, her former bandmates, the Ganser twins, passed away in 1996 and 1997.
Despite being nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2020, the Shangri-Las were not inducted. Mary will be fondly remembered as a legendary figure in pop music, celebrated for her passionate and soulful singing style, and revered as the leader of the pack.
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