Laura Branigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Laura Branigan
Branigan c. 1982
Born	Laura Ann Branigan (1952-07-03)July 3, 1952 Mount Kisco, New York, U.S.
Died	August 26, 2004(2004-08-26) (aged 52) East Quogue, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Singer songwriter actress
Spouse(s)	Laurence Ross Kruteck ​ ​ (m. 1978; died 1996)​
Musical career
Genres	Pop dance Rock
Years active	1970–1996, 2001–2004
Labels	Atlantic
Signature

Laura Ann Branigan (July 3, 1952 – August 26, 2004) was a famous American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was best known for her powerful voice and hit songs in the 1980s.

Her most famous song was "Gloria" from 1982. This song was a huge success, staying on the U.S. Billboard charts for 36 weeks. It even reached number one in Australia and Canada. "Gloria" was originally an Italian song, and Laura Branigan made it popular with English lyrics.

In 1984, she had another big hit with "Self Control". This song reached number one in Canada and Germany. Both "Gloria" and "Self Control" were also very popular in the United Kingdom.

Laura Branigan's album Self Control (1984) was her most successful, selling millions of copies. She also sang songs for popular movie soundtracks like Flashdance (1983) and Ghostbusters (1984). In 1985, she won an award at the Tokyo Music Festival for her song "The Lucky One".

After the 1980s, her music became less popular. She took a break from public life in the late 1990s. Laura Branigan returned to performing in the early 2000s, even appearing in a musical. Sadly, she passed away in August 2004 from a brain aneurysm that doctors didn't know about.

In 2019, her song "Gloria" became popular again in the U.S. The NHL team, the St. Louis Blues, adopted it as their victory song. This happened during their amazing season when they won their first Stanley Cup. Now, "Gloria" is often connected with the St. Louis Blues and ice hockey.

Biography of Laura Branigan

Early Life and Education (1952–1970)

Laura Ann Branigan was born on July 3, 1952. Her hometown was Mount Kisco, New York, which is close to New York City. She was the fourth of five children in her family.

Laura grew up in Armonk, New York. She went to a Catholic school nearby. In high school, she attended Byram Hills High School from 1966 to 1970. During her last year, she even starred in the school musical, The Pajama Game.

After high school, from 1970 to 1972, Laura studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. She worked as a waitress to support herself during this time.

Starting Her Music Career (1972–1980)

In 1972, Laura Branigan joined a folk-rock band called Meadow. The band released an album called The Friend Ship in 1973. However, the album wasn't promoted well, and the band eventually broke up.

After Meadow, Laura worked different jobs. She even sang backup for the famous musician Leonard Cohen during his European tour in 1976.

In 1978, Laura met Larry Ross Kruteck, who was a lawyer. They got married in December of that year. Larry later passed away in 1996.

In 1979, Laura signed with Atlantic Records. It took a few years for the record company to figure out the best way to use her powerful voice. Her first album, Branigan, was released in March 1982.

"Gloria" Becomes a Hit

The second song from her first album was "Gloria". This song was originally an Italian love song. Laura Branigan's version was updated to give it an "American kick" with new English lyrics.

At first, U.S. radio stations weren't sure about "Gloria". But dance clubs loved it, and soon it became one of the biggest hits of the 1980s. The album sold very well, and the single "Gloria" sold over two million copies. Laura Branigan was even nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Gloria".

In 1983, Laura released her second album, Branigan 2. This album included her English version of the French song "Solitaire," which became a top hit. It also featured "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You", which was an early hit for songwriter Michael Bolton. Laura's version of this song reached number one on the Billboard adult contemporary chart.

Mainstream Success (1981–1989)

During her most successful years, Laura Branigan also tried acting. She appeared in a West German TV show in 1981. After "Gloria" became a hit, she guest-starred on American TV shows like CHiPs and Knight Rider. She also appeared in movies like Mugsy's Girls (1985) and Backstage (1988).

Laura also sang for big TV and radio commercials for companies like Dr Pepper and Coca-Cola.

"Self Control" and More Hits

The year 1984 was a big one for Laura Branigan. Her third album, Self Control, was released in April. The title song, "Self Control", became her biggest international hit. It topped the charts in over six countries, including West Germany. The song was also featured in the TV series Miami Vice.

Other popular songs from the Self Control album included "The Lucky One" and "Ti Amo". She also sang "Hot Night" for the Ghostbusters movie soundtrack in 1984.

Laura Branigan worked with many talented musicians and producers throughout her career. She even sang duets with other artists like John Farnham and Luis Miguel.

In 1985, Laura's fourth album, Hold Me, was released. It included hits like "Spanish Eddie" and "I Found Someone". She performed these songs on the TV music show American Bandstand. In 1986, she performed at a big music festival in Chile, which made her even more popular in Latin America.

Her fifth album, Touch, came out in 1987. This album showed a change in her music style. It featured the dance track "Shattered Glass". The album also included her popular cover of Jennifer Rush's "Power of Love", which was a top-20 bestselling single during the Christmas season.

Later Career and Break from Music (1990–2000)

Laura Branigan's sixth album, Laura Branigan, was released in 1990. It included songs like "Moonlight on Water" and "Never in a Million Years". She also produced some of the songs on this album herself.

Her seventh and final studio album, Over My Heart, came out in 1993. On this album, Laura again helped produce, write, and arrange the songs. She also recorded a duet with David Hasselhoff called "I Believe" for the TV series Baywatch.

After 1990, Laura's songs were not as popular on the charts in the U.S. However, she continued to tour and perform around the world. In 1994, her husband, Larry Kruteck, was diagnosed with colon cancer. Laura decided to take a break from the music industry to care for him. She stayed by his side until he passed away in 1996. After his death, Laura stopped performing for a while.

In 1995, a collection of her greatest hits, The Best of Branigan, was released. It included two new songs: "Show Me Heaven" and "Dim All the Lights".

Return to Music (2001–2004)

In 2001, Laura Branigan planned to return to the stage. However, she had an accident where she fell from a ladder and broke both of her leg bones. This meant she needed physical therapy for six months, delaying her return.

In 2002, she performed as the singer Janis Joplin in an off-Broadway musical called Love, Janis. She later left the show. In 2002, another collection of her hits, The Essentials, was released. Laura continued to record new music and was planning a comeback to the music industry.

Laura Branigan's Passing

Laura Branigan passed away in her sleep at her home in East Quogue, New York, on August 26, 2004. She was 52 years old. The cause of her death was a cerebral aneurysm, which is a weak spot in a blood vessel in the brain that bursts. Doctors had not known about it before. Reports said she had been having headaches for several weeks but had not seen a doctor for them.

Laura Branigan was cremated, and her ashes were spread over Long Island Sound.

Laura Branigan's Legacy

At Byram Hills High School in Armonk, New York, where Laura went to school, there is a special scholarship given each year. It's called the Laura Branigan Memorial Scholarship, and it goes to a senior student who shows excellence in performing arts.

In 2019, the singer Jain released a song called "Gloria" as a tribute to Laura Branigan.

"Play Gloria" and the St. Louis Blues

Laura Branigan's song "Gloria" became very famous again in 2019 because of the St. Louis Blues hockey team. The team started playing "Gloria" as their victory song during the 2018–19 season.

At one point, the Blues were not doing well. But after some players heard "Gloria" in a bar and started playing it in their locker room after wins, things changed. The team started winning a lot of games. Their stadium DJ began playing the song during games to cheer on the team.

The Blues went on to have an amazing turnaround. They made it to the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals and won their first Stanley Cup ever! Because of this, "Gloria" became their special victory anthem. Now, when the Blues win a game at their home stadium, "Gloria" is played, and fans often shout "Play Gloria!"

Laura Branigan's manager, Kathy Golik, supported this trend. She traveled to St. Louis to be with the Blues fans during their playoff run. She believes that Laura Branigan and "Gloria" will always be connected with the St. Louis Blues and the city. The song's popularity even caused it to re-enter music charts.

Laura's boyfriend at the time of her passing, Tommy Bayiokos, said that Laura would have been very happy and proud to see how much people loved her song. He said she would have performed it live with great energy.

Discography

Studio albums

• Branigan (1982)
• Branigan 2 (1983)
• Self Control (1984)
• Hold Me (1985)
• Touch (1987)
• Laura Branigan (1990)
• Over My Heart (1993)

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

^‡ This nomination was not given to Laura Branigan alone.

Images for kids

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  Laura Branigan's signature

See also

In Spanish: Laura Branigan para niños