Pop star Laura Branigan has died

Pop star Laura Branigan, best known for her 1982 platinum hit Gloria, has died. She was 47.

Branigan suffered a brain aneurysm on Thursday in her sleep at her home in East Quogue, New York, according to 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, was on top of the pop charts for 36 weeks and earned her a Grammy nomination, the first of four in her career. She also made television appearances, including guest spots on CHiPS, and in the films Mugsy's Girls and Backstage, according to the Australian.

Her song "Imagination" appeared in the movie "Flashdance," earning her a second Grammy nomination (she eventually was nominated four times). Her other hits included "Solitaire," "Self Control" and a duet with Michael Bolton, "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You."

Among Branigan's other achievements, she toured Europe as a backup singer for Leonard Cohen in the late 1970s, performed the last song on "American Bandstand" in 1987, and most recently starred as the singing version of Janis Joplin in the off-Broadway musical "Love, Janis" in 2002. At last report, she was working on a new album, to be released on her own label.

Branigan is survived by her mother, a sister, and brothers Mark and Billy, the latter of whom worked with her on her Over My Heart album. Funeral services are scheduled for Monday, says MTV News. Read earlier news stories by PRAVDA.Ru

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