Laura Ann Branigan (July 3, 1957 – August 26, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter and actress. She is best remembered for her 1982 platinum-certified hit "Gloria" and for the Top Ten single "Self Control". Branigan is also remembered for the Top 10 "Solitaire" and for the number-one Adult Contemporary hit "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You", as well as several other U.S. Top 40 hits. As well as her music, she was also known for her powerful, husky alto singing voice which spanned four octaves.Branigan also contributed songs to notable motion picture and television soundtracks, including the Grammy and Academy Award-winning Flashdance soundtrack (1983), the Ghostbusters soundtrack (1984), and the Baywatch soundtrack (1994).Her signature song "Gloria" by Umberto Tozzi stayed on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for 36 weeks, at the time a record for a female artist. The song holds a place in the top 100 singles of both 1982 and 1983.Branigan died at her home in 2004, aged 47, from a previously undiagnosed cerebral aneurysm.
August 26, 2004, East Quogue, New York, United States
Place Of Birth
Brewster, New York, USA
Profession
Soundtrack, Actress
Education
American Academy of Dramatic Arts
Nationality
American
Spouse
Larry Kruteck (m. 1981–1996)
Parents
Kathleen Branigan
Siblings
Billy Branigan, Marc Branigan, Self Control, Gloria, Power of Love
Nominations
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Video Artist, Self Control, Gloria, Power of Love
Movies
Backstage, Mugsy's Girls
Star Sign
Cancer
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Trademark
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Many of her hits were English-language remakes of European hit songs, for the American market.
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Had an onstage habit of brushing her hair back with one hand, while singing
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Quote
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I want to touch people's hearts, to get right down to their souls.
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Fact
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For most of her career and for 11 years following her death, her birth year was always thought to be 1957. Records from her high school in Armonk, New York, revealed her graduation year as 1970, hence placing her birth year as 1952.
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Neither surviving brother came forward about her true age at the time of her death.
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She recorded her first album when she joined the group Meadow at age 20. The album, "The Friendship," was released in 1973 on Paramount Records following the release of two singles in 1972, "Here I Am" and "Cane and Abel". The record label failed to adequately promote the album and it received little airplay. Not long afterwards Meadow disbanded.
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In later years she continued to perform and record music, and dated the drummer in her band, Tommy Bayiokos. She spent most of her time, however, caring for her mother, Kathleen, 83, who had Alzheimer's, while gardening and cooking for friends.
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Atlantic Records signed her in 1979.
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She largely left the music industry in 1994 after husband Larry Kruteck was diagnosed with colon cancer. He died in 1996.
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She also performed the ballad "Sin Hablar", along with Mexican singer Luis Miguel.
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Music video for her single "Spanish Eddie" was a re-telling of West Side Story (1961).
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After she died of a brain aneurysm in her sleep, brother Marc Branigan said she had complained to a friend of having a continual headache for about two weeks before she died, but had not sought medical attention.
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Had a unique five-octave range voice.
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Known mostly for her smash hit songs like "Gloria", "Self-Conrol", "Solitaire", "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You?", "The Lucky One", "The Power of Love" and "Spanish Eddie". She also did international tours and unique music videos, which were filmed in Britain and other European countries.
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Was originally announced as the singer of the theme for the Bond film, Octopussy (1983), by producer Albert R. Broccoli.
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Toured Europe as a backup vocalist for Leonard Cohen in the late 1970s.
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Had a brother, Billy Branigan, who's a singer, writer and producer. They worked together on Laura's "Over My Heart" album.
$5 Million
