Mary Weiss, lead singer and singer for the band Shangri-Las, has died.
She was 75 years old.
A rep from Weiss’s record label, Norton Records, told PEOPLE on Saturday that she had died. At this point, the cause of death has not been given.
Miriam Linna from Norton Records told PEOPLE, “It was a joy and an honor to work with Mary on her solo/comeback album, which were her last records. She was as charming and charismatic as an adult as she was as a teenage idol.” A real star.”
The late singer was born in Queens, New York. She is best known for being the lead singer of the band Shangri-Las, which was the biggest thing in the world in the early 1960s when they had hits like “Leader of the Pack,” “Great Big Kiss,” and “Heaven Only Knows.”
Weiss got her first record deal with the band when she was only 15 years old. The band was made up of her sister Betty, twins Mary-Ann and Marguerite Ganser, and two other classmates. Rolling Stone says that the man from Queens had performed with the group at talent shows when producer Artie Ripp asked them to sign with Kama Sutra.
The band then released their first single, “Simon Says.” Their next big hit was “Remember (Walking in the Sand),” which was written by George “Shadow” Morton and featured Billy Joel on piano.
People who use social media will know this song as one of the most sampled on TikTok right now. The chorus that Weiss sang has been used in many skits in videos uploaded in the last few years. It is known on the platform as the “Oh No” song.
Along with The Ronettes and The Supremes, Shangri-Las were one of the most popular teen groups of their time. Their music was a groundbreaking look at the problems teenage girls were facing at the time. Rolling Stone and Variety say that the band toured with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, but they broke up in 1968 because of legal problems that kept Weiss from recording with anyone else for ten years.
She told Variety, “My mother kind of signed my life away when I was 14.” “There is a room full of lawsuits up to the ceiling.” One reason I left was because of that. I wouldn’t go near another record company for ten years.
Weiss became a solo artist after getting back together with the band twice, in 1977 and 1989. Her first and only solo album, Dangerous Game, came out in 2007 on Norton Records.
She told Rolling Stone about going solo, “At first I didn’t know how I’d feel about recording again.” “But I felt like I was at home when I walked back into the studio.”
Since the news of Weiss’ death spread, many people have sent their condolences.
A singer named Sky Ferreira wrote on Instagram, “Mary Weiss 💔forever inspiration.”
A moving tribute to Weiss was shared on the late Ronnie Spector’s Instagram account. Spector was a co-founder of The Ronettes. “It breaks our hearts to hear about Mary Weiss’s death.” She and Ronnie were both fearless bad girls in their 20s, and they liked the same things. “Come spin the Shangri-Las with us in honor of her,” a tribute post said.
Tim Burgess, lead singer of The Charlatans, wrote on X (which used to be called Twitter), “Oh No.” Thanks, Mary Weiss. Someone who rebels looked up to has left the building…Most likely on the back of a motorcycle. Have a safe trip x”
Weiss’s husband will miss her. ➕
