Mary Weiss, leader of Sixties New York band Shangri-Las, has died at the age of 75.
Her death was confirmed to Rolling Stone on Friday by Miriam Linna of Norton Records label, which released the singer’s only solo album Dangerous Game, in 2007. “Mary was an icon, a hero, a heroine, to both young men and women of my generation and of all generations,” Linna said.
The Instagram account for Ronnie Spector, who co-founded girl group the Ronettes and died in January 2022, shared a tribute following news of Weiss’ death. “We are deeply saddened to hear the news of Mary Weiss’ passing,” read the caption alongside a black-and-white photo of Weiss. “She and Ronnie were kindred spirits; two fearless bad girls of the 60s. Join us as we spin the Shangri-Las in her honor.”
In a separate post, pop singer Sky Ferreira wrote, “Mary Weiss forever inspiration.”
Growing up in Queens, Weiss and her sister Elizabeth “Betty” Weiss joined twins Marguerite “Marge” Ganser and Mary Ann Ganser. Together, the quartet performed at local talent shows and were introduced to producer George “Shadow” Morton in 1964. After calling in some favors, the group recorded their first demo, “Remember (Walking in the Sand).”
The Shangri-Las encapsulated the height of the early-Sixties trend for teen tragedies, with the girls documenting their melodramas with songs such as “Give Him a Great Big Kiss” and 1964’s “Leader of the Pack” — a track that went on to become a Number One hit that year. In 2021, Rolling Stone included the track in its list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at number 316.
When speaking to Rolling Stone in a 2007 interview after four decades out of the public eye, Weiss looked back on stories from her past, including the time James Brown booked her for a Texas show. “When I walked out onstage, I thought he was going to have a coronary,” she said. “He didn’t realize I was white.”
She also recalled how the girl group disbanded in 1968 amid legal issues. “When we started, it was all about music,” Weiss said. “By the time it ended, it was all about litigation.” Due to legal complications, Weiss was unable to record for 10 years. “My morn signed some really bad contracts,” she added.
Although the artist moved to San Francisco after the group split, she eventually returned to New York, landing a role at an architecture firm working on commercial interiors.
Her comeback arrived in 2007 following a chance run-in with Billy Miller, head of the Brooklyn indie label Norton, that led to her final solo album. “Initially I didn’t know how I’d feel about recording again,” Weiss told Rolling Stone. “But when I walked back into the studio, I felt like I was home.”