Mary Weiss dead at 75: Lead singer of the Shangri-Las who released solo album decades on from hit girl group dies

MARY Weiss, the pioneering lead singer of the hit 1960s group The Shangri-Las, has died at 75.

Details on Weiss’s death have not been released yet.

Mary Weiss died at age 75

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Mary Weiss died at age 75Credit: Getty
The Shangri-Las consisted of Mary Ann Ganser, Mary Weiss, and Marge Ganser (left to right)

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The Shangri-Las consisted of Mary Ann Ganser, Mary Weiss, and Marge Ganser (left to right)Credit: Getty
Weiss was the lead singer of The Shangri-Las

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Weiss was the lead singer of The Shangri-LasCredit: AP
The reasoning for Weiss's death is currently unknown

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The reasoning for Weiss’s death is currently unknownCredit: Getty
Both of the Gansers have also died on past dates

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Both of the Gansers have also died on past datesCredit: Getty

Weiss is recognized as the voice of The Shangri-Las.

She also released a solo album called Dangerous Game in 2007.

Her death was confirmed to Rolling Stone by Norton Records label, which released Weiss’s solo album. 

“Mary was an icon, a hero, a heroine, to both young men and women of my generation and of all generations,” Miriam Linna of Norton Records told Rolling Stone.

The Shangri-Las consisted of Weiss, Mary Ann Ganser, and Marge Ganser.

They formed the band in the New York City borough of Queens.

Both the Gansers, who were sisters, have also died on past dates.

Marge died in 1996 at age 48 due to breast cancer and Mary died in 1970 at age 22 due to a drug overdose.

There was also a fourth member who joined down the line, Weiss’s sister, Elizabeth “Betty” Weiss, who is still alive.

Their band quickly rose to fame in the ’60s and had multiple top hits.

Some of their best songs include Leader of the Pack, Remember (Walking in the Sand), and Great Big Kiss.

Leader of the Pack was their biggest hit and is a three-minute track about death, lost love, and motorcycles.

However, it was banned from BBC due to violent content and teenage death references, BBC said.

Weiss also had her first big hit when she was 15 and Leader of the Pack was also recorded when she was 15, The Telegraph reported.

The group broke apart in 1968 due to legal issues, according to a 2007 New York Magazine interview.

Weiss was remembered as a “fearless bad girl of the 60s” by an Instagram account for Ronnie Spector, who founded the Ronettes.

The Shangri-Las broke up in 1968 due to legal issues

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The Shangri-Las broke up in 1968 due to legal issuesCredit: Getty
The band had multiple big hits that were loved by many in the '60s

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The band had multiple big hits that were loved by many in the ’60sCredit: Getty
There was also a fourth member who joined down the line, Weiss's sister, Elizabeth 'Betty' Weiss, who is still alive

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There was also a fourth member who joined down the line, Weiss’s sister, Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Weiss, who is still aliveCredit: Getty
Weiss also released a solo album in 2007 called Dangerous Game

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Weiss also released a solo album in 2007 called Dangerous GameCredit: AP

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