Y
Yaps
Laura Branigan Dies Of Aneurysm
Singer Laura Branigan, best known for her 1982 hit "Gloria," died Thursday at her East Quogue, N.Y., home of a brain aneurysm. She was 47.
She had complained to a friend of a headache for about two weeks before she died, but had not sought medical attention, her brother, Mark Branigan, said.
"Gloria," a signature song from her debut Atlantic album "Branigan," topped The Billboard Hot 100 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, 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/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 until 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 are scheduled for Monday. In lieu of flowers, her family has requested donations be made to the American Cancer Society and the Children Affected By AIDS Foundation.
Singer Laura Branigan, best known for her 1982 hit "Gloria," died Thursday at her East Quogue, N.Y., home of a brain aneurysm. She was 47.
She had complained to a friend of a headache for about two weeks before she died, but had not sought medical attention, her brother, Mark Branigan, said.
"Gloria," a signature song from her debut Atlantic album "Branigan," topped The Billboard Hot 100 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, 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/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 until 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 are scheduled for Monday. In lieu of flowers, her family has requested donations be made to the American Cancer Society and the Children Affected By AIDS Foundation.
