The American girl group rose to stardom with a run of hit songs about teenage love and tragedy, including Remember (Walking In The Sand) and Leader Of The Pack – which shot to number 1 in the US charts and was later inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Weiss took centre stage of the sound and look of the Shangri-Las, helping to pioneer the girl group era alongside the Ronettes.
On Friday, Miriam Linna of Norton Records confirmed Weiss' death, paying a heartfelt tribute to the star.
'Mary was an icon, a hero, a heroine, to both young men and women of my generation and of all generations,' Linna said in a statement.
The group, known as the tough girls of the 60's pop scene, was made up of two sets of sisters, Mary and Elizabeth (Betty) Weiss and twins Marguerite (Margie) and Mary Ann Ganser.
Born and raised in Queens, New York City, Mary and Betty attended the same high school as their future bandmates.