Mary Weiss (1948–2024), Leader of the Pack singer
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2 min readMary Weiss was the lead singer of the 1960s teen girl group the Shangri-Las, who had hits with “Remember (Walking in the Sand),” “Give Him a Great Big Kiss,” and their enduring No. 1 hit, “Leader of the Pack.”
- Died: January 19, 2024 (Who else died on January 19?)
- Details of death: Died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Palm Springs, California, at the age of 75.
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Mary Weiss’s legacy
Mary Weiss was just 15 when she and the other girls in the Shangri-Las recorded their first songs. Weiss and her sister, Betty, began singing with twins Mary Ann and Margie Ganser while still in grade school. They were in choir together, performed at local dances, and did other small local gigs.
That’s when producer Artie Ripp discovered and signed them to Kama Sutra Productions. A string of hits followed, such as “Remember (Walking in the Sand),” “Give Him a Great Big Kiss,” and “Heaven Only Knows,” and their most enduring hit, “Leader of the Pack.” The song went to No. 1 in November 1964 on the strength of its teen melodrama, the group’s authentic Queens accents, and Weiss’ pining voice. It has since been featured in dozens of films and television shows.
Aside from a few short-lived reunions, Weiss and the Shangri-Las parted ways in 1968 and had no further success. Weiss released a solo album in 2007, “Dangerous Game,” and her story was featured in the oral history, “But Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” Otherwise, Weiss preferred a life out of the public eye, working on commercial interiors for an architecture firm.
Tributes to Mary Weiss
Full obituary: Variety
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