Mary Weiss, the lead singer of 60s girl group The Shangri-Las, has died at age 75.
The Shangra-Las were best known for their 1964 number one hit ‘Leader of the Pack’.
Mary Weiss, Elizabeth “Betty” Weiss, Marguerite “Marge” Ganser, and Mary Ann Ganser formed The Shangri-Las in New York in 1963. Mary and her sister Elizabeth were twins. They went to school at Andrew Jackson High in Cambra, Queens with Mary and Marge.
The girls played local talent shows when they were discovered by record producer Artie Ripp who signed them to his new label Karma Sutra. Their first hit ‘Remember (Walking in the Sand)’ was released a few months before ‘Leader of the Pack’ and reached no 5 in America when Mary was just 16 years old.
The Shangri-Las quickly became one of America’s most popular pop groups and performed with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones as well as The Drifters and James Brown. The group was short-lived. By 1967, it was all over.
The Go-Go’s often perform ‘Remember (Walking in the Sand)’, Aerosmith recorded a version of the song with Mary Weiss on backing vocals, Bette Midler covered ‘Leader of the Pack’ on her debut album. Twisted Sister have also covered the song. Australia’s Rowland S. Howard covered their song ‘She Cried’. They are named-checked in John Mellencamp’s ‘R.O.C.K. In The USA’. Amy Winehouse uses the hook from ‘Remember (Walking in the Sand)’ in her song ‘Back To Black’.
‘Leader of the Pack’ was honored by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.
After The Shangri-Las broke up Mary worked for an architectural firm, then managed a furniture store before becoming an interior designer.
Mary died on 19 January 2024. Her twin sister Betty is now the last surviving member of The Shangri-Las.
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