(From left) Mary Ann Ganser (died 1970), Betty Weiss,
Marge Ganser (died 1996) and Mary Weiss of The
Shangri-Las pose for a portrait Circa 1964.

Mary Weiss, the lead singer of 1960s pop group The Shangri-Las,
has died at the age of 75.

The female 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 was later inducted into
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s singles category.

Mary vanished from the music scene for decades, returning in
2007 to record her first solo album with Norton Records.

The announcement of her death, made on Friday, did not disclose
the cause.

In 2019, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland,
Ohio honored the Shangri-Las’ "Leader of the Pack",
on which Weiss sang lead, in its Singles category.

With a career spanning over fifty years, Dolly Parton has been
described as a "country music legend" and has sold more than
100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-
selling artists of all time.         

       
She has received 11 Grammy Awards out of 50 nominations,
including the Lifetime Achievement Award; ten Country Music Association Awards, including Entertainer of the Year and is
one of only seven female artists to win the Country Music
Association’s Entertainer of the Year Award; five Academy
of Country Music Awards, also including Entertainer of the
Year; four People’s Choice Awards; and three American
Music Awards.

Dolly with Porter Wagoner.

On January 17, 1966, the National Broadcasting Corporation
ordered 32 episodes of a new TV show, "The Monkees," for
its upcoming fall schedule. Little did producers know that the
fake pop music band they were launching would become an
actual pop culture sensation—whose records would even
outsell the Beatles. The sitcom aired from 1966 to 1968.

Renowned entertainer Tony Orlando (79) is set to bid farewell to
the stage with a series of unforgettable North American concerts.

In an announcement made today, the legendary artist revealed
the details of his "Farewell Concerts" tour, promising fans an
emotional and memorable journey through his remarkable career.

The tour will kick off with a three-night extravaganza at the South
Point Casino in Las Vegas, NV, from January 19th to the 21st.

Following the opening shows, Orlando will continue to captivate audiences in various cities, including Niagara Falls, ON, Des
Plaines and St.Charles, IL, Atlantic City, NJ, and Uncasville, CT.

One of the most poignant moments of the tour will undoubtedly
be Tony Orlando’s final performance in Las Vegas, where he has headlined for an impressive 51 years on the iconic Strip.

 
Tony in 1974.                                                                                    

Johnny Cash, backed by an all-star ensemble of talent, stepped
on stage at California State Prison in Folsom on this day in
history, Jan. 13, 1968. 

The concert and the subsequent live album launched him back
into the charts and re-defined his career.

The Man in Black recorded a landmark album that included
a song written by inmate Glen Sherley (right).