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| From | Popdude@aol.com |
| Subject | Laura Branigan Dies |
| Date | Sat, 28 Aug 2004 22:54:12 EDT |
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'Gloria' Singer Laura Branigan Dies at 47
NEW YORK (AP) -- Laura Branigan, a Grammy-nominated pop singer best known for
her 1982 platinum hit "Gloria," has died. She was 47.Branigan died of a brain
anuerysm Thursday in her sleep at her home in East Quogue, said her brother
Mark Branigan. He said she had complained to a friend of a headache for about
two weeks before she died, but had not sought medical attention.
"Gloria," a signature song from her debut album "Branigan," stayed atop the
pop charts for 36 weeks and earned her a Grammy nomination for best female pop
vocalist, the first of four nominations in her career.
Branigan released seven albums after her debut "Branigan," including
"Solitaire," "Self Control," and "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You," which was
co-written with Michael Bolton. Her songs also appeared on soundtracks for the
films "Flashdance" and "Ghostbusters."
Branigan was born July 3, 1957, and grew up in Brewster, N.Y. She attended
the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan. During the late 1970s, she toured
Europe as a backing vocalist for Canadian singer and songwriter Leonard Cohen.
She signed as a solo artist with Atlantic Records in 1982.After her run of
success in the 1980s, her releases in the early 1990s attracted little attention.
In 1994, she sang a duet with David Hasselhoff called "I Believe" for the
soundtrack of the television show "Baywatch." She released a 13-track "Best of
Branigan" LP the next year.
After the death of her husband, Lawrence Kruteck, in 1996, Branigan stopped
performing but returned to the stage in 2001. In 2002 she starred as Janis
Joplin in the off-Broadway musical "Love, Janis," which earned her rave reviews.
Branigan recently had been working on material for a new release.She is
survived by her mother, two brothers and a sister. Funeral services were scheduled
for Monday.
John B.
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