On January 19, 2024, Mary Weiss, the renowned lead vocalist of the 1960s pop band The Shangri-Las, died in Palm Springs, California, at age 75 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Her death was confirmed by Miriam Linna, the founder of Norton Records, Weiss’s record label.
A native of Queens, New York, Mary Weiss gained prominence as the lead singer of The Shangri-Las, a band she formed with her sister, Betty Weiss, and twins Marge and Mary Ann Ganser. This group, recognized for their dramatic performances and songs about teenage struggles and love, started their career performing at school dances and teen hops in Queens.
Their career took off after they signed with Kama Sutra Productions and collaborated with producer Artie Ripp. Their first major hit on the Billboard chart, “Remember Walking in the Sand,” entered the top 5 in 1964, an impressive feat considering Weiss was only 15 years old. George “Shadow” Morton, a pop songwriter-producer, wrote the song, which was later covered by Aerosmith.
Morton was instrumental in defining The Shangri-Las’ sound, combining R&B elements with emotive teenage narratives. He co-wrote their 1965 single “Leader of the Pack,” the top Billboard single of that year. The group, however, disbanded in 1968 due to legal disputes and contractual problems, marking a significant shift in the girl group music genre.
In 2007, during an interview at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Weiss reflected on the group’s legacy and the broader music industry. She highlighted the gender-based disparities in artistic recognition, observing that men were often seen as artists while women were generally viewed as commodities.
After the band dissolved, Weiss stepped away from the spotlight. She moved to San Francisco, California, and pursued a career outside the music industry, working for an architectural firm for several years. Weiss made a comeback to music four decades later, releasing her debut solo album, “Dangerous Game,” in 2007. In this album, she managed to revive the essence of The Shangri-Las, albeit from a more mature viewpoint. Speaking to New York magazine, she expressed her wish to relish her music career without the exploitative experiences she faced as a young artist.
The Shangri-Las’ journey, led by Mary Weiss, had a lasting influence on the music industry, inspiring subsequent punk and garage rock acts. Their unique style and their songs’ themes of teenage tragedy set them apart from other girl groups of their era. Weiss, famed for her distinct voice and stage presence, emerged as a remarkable figure in the 1960s pop music scene.
Despite the legal disputes and personal tragedies that affected the group, including Mary Ann Ganser’s death from a drug overdose in 1970 and Marge Ganser’s death from breast cancer in 1996, The Shangri-Las’ legacy lives on. They are remembered not only for their chart-topping hits but also for their influential image and the emotional depth of their music.
With Weiss’ death, the original line-up of The Shangri-Las has now entirely passed away. Her unique contributions to music, her distinctive voice, and her role in championing the all-female group format in pop music will continue to be appreciated by music fans and historians.