Cuppy's Music Curios S2 E2: R.I.P. Mary Weiss

Mary Weiss, the lead singer of the 60's girl group The Shangri-Las death was announced on January 19, 2024 at the age of 75. Weiss' contributions to music was a big one as her group The Shangri-Las recorded two Top Ten singles and four Top Forty hits along with two studio albums during their heyday. The death of one member along with the change in the sound of pop music led to the group's demise. Mary Weiss would disappear from the music scene for several years to become a San Francisco hippy.
She would return to New York City and reunite The Shangri-Las in the mid-seventies and along with a brief revival of their popularity (especially with 70's bands such as the New York Dolls, Blondie and The Ramones) would play the club circuit and sign a recording contract with Sire Records but the tracks they recorded would remain unreleased. Mary Weiss would retire again and disappear from the music scene until 2005 when she would retire from her career as a interior designer and start performing live again as a solo artist. Weiss would record a solo album in 2007 before leaving the music world once again.
Her death was announced on Janaury 19th by her former record label Norton Records.

[@donstaley8420]

Mary will always be a legend ❤

[@FFFNetwork]

A true pioneer.

[@flamencoprof]

Wow, I never knew about the Seventies NY re-unite thing. They are my favourite girl group, and their material was unique.

[@FFFNetwork]

I wished they would release their demos and other recorded material they did during the 70s.

[@flamencoprof]

@@FFFNetwork On a website not far from here I have arranged in time a list of as many of their works as I could find. Anything from the 70's would be a welcome addition.

[@Bohonk212]

From my old neighborhood! Gang filled back in those days. The old-school type gangs, leather jackets, switchblades and zip guns. Lots of racial tension across segregated neighborhoods.

[@FFFNetwork]

They were the soundtrack of the times.

[@pommelhorsepommelhorse8731]

and I can never go home anymore. and that's called: sad.

[@FFFNetwork]

She was truly one-of-a-kind.

[@user-km2gi5hc8s]

She finally did go home................................

[@VanielDeeform]

A nicely done, short but sweet overview of the group. Mary Weiss really had a distinctive vocal. I wonder why she (or her bandmates) didn't sing with musicians and record there. Especially since she started so young.

[@FFFNetwork]

Thanks. I'm going to make a video about The Shangri-Las in the future but since she passed away recently I decided to do a quick tribute video.

[@petebyron1957]

The Shangri-Las belong to me. Quote from Mob boss Sonny Franzese.

[@FFFNetwork]

They were a true gem of a group.