Laura Branigan
Laura Branigan (July 3, 1952[1] – August 26, 2004[2][3]) was an American singer, songwriter and actress. She was best known for her 1982 platinum hit "Gloria". She also starred on several television shows. Branigan's songs were featured in soundtracks for the movies Flashdance and Ghostbusters.[4]
Laura Branigan | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Laura Branigan |
| Born | July 3, 1952 Brewster, New York, U.S. |
| Died | August 26, 2004 (aged 52) East Quogue, New York, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1978–2004 |
| Labels | Atlantic |
| Website | laurabraniganonline |
Early life
Branigan was born on July 3, 1952 in Brewster, New York, United States.[5] Her father was an account executive and mutual funds broker.[6] In 1970, she graduated from high school and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City.[6][7]
Career
Branigan toured Europe as a backup singer with Leonard Cohen.[5] She started her solo career in 1982. Her first album, Branigan, was released in 1982.[8] A song "Gloria" from that album stayed on top of the pop charts for 36 weeks.[9] It reached number six on the British pop charts. It was a remake of an Italian song from the 1970s.[10] The song got her a nomination for a Grammy for best female pop singer.[9] She was nominated for three more during her career.[9] She released seven more albums.[2] She co-wrote the song How Am I Supposed To Live Without You? with a then unknown Michael Bolton.[10] In 1981 Branigan appeared on German television in An American Girl in Berlin.[7] She was a guest on the American TV show, CHiPS.[8] She starred in the movie Mugsy's Girls in 1984.[7] She also appeared in the 1988 movie Backstage.[8] In 2002 she starred in the Off-Broadway production of Love, Janis, playing Janis Joplin.[8] She received rave (very good) reviews for her performance.[9]
Personal
In 1981, Branigan met Larry Kruteck, an attorney, at a party in Manhattan.[11] They married that same year, when she was 24 years old and he was 44.[11] In 1994 her husband was diagnosed with colon cancer. She quit singing to take care of him full time. Kruteck died in 1996.[11] In 2001, as she was just returning to singing again, she fell from a ladder at her home and broke both her legs.[11] Branigan was in physical therapy for six months.[11]
On August 26, 2004, Branigan died of a brain aneurysm. She died in her sleep at her home in East Quogue, New York.[10] She was 52 years old.[1][12][13]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Laura Branigan, American singer". Encyclopædia Britannica. 18 October 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Laura Branigan, 47, Singer Of the Disco Hit 'Gloria'". Obituaries. The New York Times. 30 August 2004. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
- ↑ "Obituary: Laura Branigan," Daily Post (Liverpool, England), September 1, 2004, <https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-121500803/obituary-laura-branigan Archived 2016-03-19 at the Wayback Machine>
- ↑ Staff and Wire reports (30 August 2004). "Laura Branigan, 47; Grammy Nominee for 1982 Hit Song 'Gloria'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Laura Branigan". The Telegraph. 30 August 2004. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Laura Branigan Biography". Musician Guide/ Net Industries. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Laura Branigan", Contemporary Musicians Vol. 2 (Detroit: Gale, 1989) Biography in Context, Web. 22 August 2015
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Greg Prato. "Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Associated Press (30 August 2004). "Singer Laura Branigan Dies At 47". Billboard. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "Singer Laura Branigan dies at 47". BBC News. 29 August 2004. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Susan Horsburgh (6 May 2002). "Facing the Music". People Magazine/Time Inc. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
- ↑ "Singer Laura Branigan dies at age 47". United Press International, Inc. 29 August 2004. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
- ↑ Dave Laing (31 August 2004). "Laura Branigan". Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 21 August 2015.