Laura Branigan
| Laura Branigan | ||
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| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Laura Ann Branigan | |
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July 3, 1952 Brewster, New York, United States |
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| Died | August 26, 2004 (aged 52) East Quogue, New York, United States |
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| Years active | 1973–1996, 2002–2004 | |
| Labels | Atlantic | |
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laurabranigan
laurabraniganonline
Laura Ann Branigan (July 3, 1952 – August 26, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She had hits in the 1980s with the platinum-certified "Gloria," "Self Control," "Solitaire," and the No. 1 Adult Contemporary (AC) hit "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" as well as several other U.S. top-40 songs.
Branigan contributed songs to 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, then 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 from a previously-undiagnosed cerebral aneurysm.
Branigan was born in the village of Brewster, New York, fourth of five children of Kathleen O'Hare Branigan (1921–2006) and James Branigan, Sr. (1914–1984), an account executive and mutual funds broker; they later separated. Branigan's maternal grandparents were William O'Hare, Jr. (son of William John O'Hare and Agnes B. O'Connor) and Mary Conway (daughter of Francis J. Conway and Mary Teresa McGuiness); all of them were Irish.
Branigan attended Byram Hills High School in 1966 to 1970, starring in the high school musical The Pajama Game in her senior year. Between 1970 and 1972 she attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, and worked as a waitress. In 1972 she met acoustic guitarist Walker Daniels and his future wife Sharon Storm, and acoustic guitarist Chris Van Cleave, forming the folk-rock band Meadow (named as a good place for Paul McCartney's band Wings to land in). In 1973 the group, with bass player Bob Valdez, released their debut album The Friend Ship, featuring the singles When You Were Young, and Cane and Able, which featured the hook line "Throw away your cane and you are able". The record was not properly promoted and never re-released. The band broke up, after which Walker Daniels committed suicide. Branigan preferred not to discuss her involvement with Meadow publicly.
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