The Shangri-Las was a pop group from New York City that rose to fame in the 1960s for its often melodramatic, teenage longing-inspired songs. The four-piece group, made up of sisters Mary and Betty Weiss and identical twins Marge and Mary Ann Ganser, came together while its members attended Andrew Jackson High School and was often mistaken as a trio since Betty did not tour until 1965. The group started off playing small shows at schools and dances before coming to the attention of the Kama Sutra label, which released the Shangri-Las first single "Wishing Well"/"Hate To Say I Told You So," in 1963. After their parents signed them with Red Bird Records in 1964 when all of the members were all underage, The Shangri-Las's released its first hit, "Remember (Walking in the Sand)", which reached the number five spot on the US chart. By the end of the year, the group released its debut album Leader of the Pack, making itself an established act that would go on to perform with the Beatles and tour with The Drifters, James Brown and Dusty Springfield. The Shangri-Las tough-girl reputation and unabashed attitude, often fueled by stories of scandalous escapades, set it apart from other demure all-girl groups of the time. The Shangri-Las disintegrated in 1968 but is remembered by its music's integration into pop culture.
