Laura Branigan (1957-2004) was an American singer-songwriter. Having been active since the 1970s, she is best known for her string of hits duringthe 1980s, including 1982's "Gloria" off of her debut, and 1984's "Self-Control". She also had 6 hit singles, as well as contributing to the soundtracksof blockbusters such as Flashdance (1983), Ghostbusters (1984) and Baywatch (1994). She was made famous by her raspy alto voice which spans 4octaves. Though she stopped recording in the '90s, she did a few tours in the late 90's and early 2000's.
She died on August 26, 2004, of a previously undiagnosed cerebral aneurysm.