33 Facts About Laura Branigan

Laura Branigan returned to performing in the early 2000s, most notably appearing as Janis Joplin in the off-Broadway musical Love, Janis.

Laura Ann Branigan was born on July 3,1952, in Mount Kisco, New York, near New York City, the fourth of five children born to Irish-American parents Kathleen and James Branigan Sr.

Laura Branigan's younger brother William "Billy" Branigan, who was a musician, played guitar in Branigan's backing band early in her career and later contributed to her 1993 album Over My Heart as a co-producer, arranger, guitarist, bassist and backing vocalist, in addition to co-writing the track "Over You" with his sister.

Laura Branigan died of a heart attack on March 10,2022, aged 65.

Laura Branigan was raised in Armonk, New York, and as a child attended a Catholic school in nearby Chappaqua.

Laura Branigan attended Byram Hills High School, graduating in 1970.

Between 1970 and 1972, Laura Branigan attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City.

In 1972, Laura Branigan met acoustic guitarist Walker Daniels and his future wife Sharon Storm, and acoustic guitarist Chris Van Cleave, forming the folk-rock band Meadow.

Laura Branigan preferred not to discuss her involvement with Meadow publicly.

Laura Branigan met attorney Larry Ross Kruteck on St Patrick's Day March 17,1978, at a party in Manhattan and got married after almost nine months of dating December 8,1978.

In 1979, after a chance meeting with manager Sid Bernstein on her return from Europe, Laura Branigan was signed by Ahmet Ertegun to Atlantic Records.

Laura Branigan's version was reworked with Tozzi's own arranger, Greg Mathieson, who updated its production with fellow producer Jack White to give it what Laura Branigan called "an American kick" to match the new English lyrics.

Laura Branigan's vocals propelled her English-language version of the French song "Solitaire" toward the top of the US charts.

Laura Branigan's version reached No 12 on the hot 100 and spent three weeks at No 1 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart.

The original version was recorded a few months earlier, still in 1984, under the name of one of the song's co-writers "Raf", and held the West German number 2 spot during this time period; Laura Branigan's version enjoyed more success outside of Raf's native Italy, hitting No 4 in the US The song was featured on the eighth episode of the first season of the TV series, Miami Vice, entitled "The Great McCarthy", which aired on November 16,1984.

Also during 1984, Laura Branigan contributed the song "Hot Night" to the Ghostbusters soundtrack.

Laura Branigan performed duets with John Farnham as well as Latin pop artist Luis Miguel.

In 1984, Laura Branigan's live show was recorded twice, for a syndicated radio concert series and a concert video.

Also in 1985, Laura Branigan performed the main theme song for the television mini-series Hollywood Wives, based on the novel by Jackie Collins.

On June 13,1985, Laura Branigan made her fourth appearance on legendary TV music show American Bandstand, performing "Spanish Eddie" and "Hold Me".

In February 1986, Laura Branigan was invited for the first time to XXVII Festival Internacional De La Cancion De Vina Del Mar in Chile, having a successful performance on the main stage and by television and thus increasing its popularity both in Chile and in the rest of Latin America.

Under new management and using different producers, Laura Branigan took a more active role in her work and in the studio, seeing her return to dancefloors with the Stock-Aitken-Waterman-produced track "Shattered Glass", written by Bob Mitchell and Steve Coe, of the band Monsoon.

Branigan's sixth album, Laura Branigan, brought her back to the Hi-NRG charts and gay clubs with "Moonlight on Water", and she scored a top-30 adult contemporary hit with "Never in a Million Years".

Laura Branigan added production to her list of credits with her cover of Vicki Sue Robinson's disco-era "Turn the Beat Around" and the atmospheric "Let Me In", a cover of an Eddie Money song.

Laura Branigan recorded a duet with David Hasselhoff which was hugely successful for being broadcast as the closing track of the Baywatch TV series.

Laura Branigan refused to accept the medical prognosis, and left the music industry to devote her attention to him.

Laura Branigan put Kruteck on herbal treatments, eventually nursing him full-time.

Laura Branigan had official greatest hits collections released in South America, Japan, Germany, South Africa, and the US; the US collection was released in 1995.

The 13-track The Best of Laura Branigan included two newly recorded covers: "Show Me Heaven" and the Donna Summer hit "Dim All the Lights", which Laura Branigan released in several remixes.

Laura Branigan died in her sleep at her lodge in East Quogue, New York, on August 26,2004, aged 52.

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

The song's resurgence in popularity has led to Laura Branigan's management getting numerous requests for live performances and public appearances, leading them to release a statement reminding the public that Laura Branigan is deceased, as well as adding a note about this to her social media accounts.

Laura Branigan would have been humbled and performed with gusto.