Renowned singer Mary Weiss, known as the lead vocalist of the iconic band Shangri-Las, has passed away at 75. The cause of death remains undisclosed.
Mary Weiss’s representative from Norton Records, Miriam Linna, praised her, saying, “It was a joy and an honor to work with Mary on her last records. She was as charming and charismatic as an adult as she was as a teenage idol. A true star.”
Weiss’s career in music began when she formed Shangri-Las in her teen years. The group achieved fame in the early 1960s with hits like “Leader of the Pack,” “Great Big Kiss,” and “Heaven Only Knows.” After years of success, they disbanded in 1989, and Weiss pursued a different career in architecture.
However, inspired by Iggy Pop’s interview and the loss of her mother and brother, Weiss returned to music in 2007 after a 40-year hiatus, stating, “I did know that someday I would [return] to this, but it had to be with the right people.”