Mary Weiss
Encyclopedia
Mary Weiss, born on December 28 in Queens
, New York
, found fame in the 1960s as the lead singer of The Shangri-Las
. She then vanished from the music scene for decades, returning in 2007 to record her first solo album with Norton Records
.
Growing up in Queens, Mary, her older sister Elizabeth and her older brother George lived in Cambria Heights, where Mary sang in school plays and church choirs. She listened to her brother and his friends perform popular songs of the day; George was an Elvis Presley
fan. Mary appreciated such performers as Neil Sedaka
and the Everly Brothers; she attended her first concert of the Everly Brothers in 1963.
in 1964 and signing with Red Bird Records
), they recorded songs: "Remember (Walking in the Sand)", which was their first hit, "Leader of the Pack
" that had made its way to #1 on the charts in 1964.
With their growing popularity, the Shangri-Las became a leading girl group in the 1960s. After several years of the grind, they split in 1968 and went their separate ways. Mary went to San Francisco to try a different lifestyle. She later came back to New York and occasionally gave shows with the Shangri-Las during the Seventies which led to a comeback attempt with Sire records
in 1977. In 1989, the Shangri-Las reunited one last time for a concert in Palisades Park
, New Jersey.
). She has been performing in the United States, Spain and France and is working on a new album.
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, found fame in the 1960s as the lead singer of The Shangri-Las
The Shangri-Las
The Shangri-Las were an American pop girl group of the 1960s. Between 1964 and 1966 they charted with often heartbreaking teen melodramas, and remain best known for "Leader of the Pack" and "Remember ".- Early career :...
. She then vanished from the music scene for decades, returning in 2007 to record her first solo album with Norton Records
Norton Records
For the Canadian independent record label of the same name, see Matt Minglewood.Norton Records, a New York City based independent record label founded by musicians Miriam Linna and Billy Miller, maintains a focus on primitive, retro rock'n'roll, rockabilly, garage punk, garage rock, lounge music...
.
Growing up in Queens, Mary, her older sister Elizabeth and her older brother George lived in Cambria Heights, where Mary sang in school plays and church choirs. She listened to her brother and his friends perform popular songs of the day; George was an Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
fan. Mary appreciated such performers as Neil Sedaka
Neil Sedaka
Neil Sedaka is an American pop/rock singer, pianist, and composer. His career has spanned nearly 55 years, during which time he has sold millions of records as an artist and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collaborating mostly with lyricists Howard...
and the Everly Brothers; she attended her first concert of the Everly Brothers in 1963.
Early recordings
After Mary, Betty, Mary Ann and Margie became good friends in grammar school, they sang at local dances and hops. That brought them to the attention of local producer Artie Ripp, who later signed them on to Kama Sutra Productions. From doing demos to making it to the Brill BuildingBrill Building
The Brill Building is an office building located at 1619 Broadway on 49th Street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, just north of Times Square and further uptown from the historic musical Tin Pan Alley neighborhood...
in 1964 and signing with Red Bird Records
Red Bird Records
Red Bird Records was a record label started by American pop music songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller in 1964. Though often thought of as a "girl-group" label, female-led acts made up only 40% of the artist roster on Red Bird and its associated labels...
), they recorded songs: "Remember (Walking in the Sand)", which was their first hit, "Leader of the Pack
Leader of the Pack
"Leader of the Pack" is a 1964 pop song recorded by girl group The Shangri-Las. It became number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 28, 1964.-Original Shangri-Las recording:...
" that had made its way to #1 on the charts in 1964.
With their growing popularity, the Shangri-Las became a leading girl group in the 1960s. After several years of the grind, they split in 1968 and went their separate ways. Mary went to San Francisco to try a different lifestyle. She later came back to New York and occasionally gave shows with the Shangri-Las during the Seventies which led to a comeback attempt with Sire records
Sire Records
Sire Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer, each investing ten thousand dollars into the new company. Its early releases as a...
in 1977. In 1989, the Shangri-Las reunited one last time for a concert in Palisades Park
Palisades Park
Palisades Park may refer to:*Palisades Park borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States.*Koreatown, Palisades Park, an ethnic Korean enclave in Palisades Park, New Jersey....
, New Jersey.
New career
Mary took a job as purchasing agent in Manhattan, as she recalled, "I went to work for an architectural firm, and I was seriously into it. Then I got into commercial interiors, huge projects, buildings."Going solo
In 2005, Mary left her job in Commercial Interiors to get back to music. In March 2007, Norton Records released Dangerous Game, a critically acclaimed solo album by Mary Weiss (backed by The Reigning SoundReigning Sound
The Reigning Sound is an American garage punk band originally based out of Memphis, Tennessee, now located in Asheville, North Carolina. The band's current lineup includes former Oblivians and Compulsive Gamblers frontman Greg Cartwright on lead vocals and guitar, David Wayne Gay on bass, Lance...
). She has been performing in the United States, Spain and France and is working on a new album.