Just a quick short note for today and it's about Laura Branigan, the smoky, throaty-voiced singer from the 80s who passed away yesterday at a relatively-young age of 47 from aneurysm. I always thought she was a very interesting singer, expressive and emotive. That big, booming voice is distinct in the same way as Taylor Dane's, owning every song she sings from her breakthrough "Gloria" to "Self-control"; from the seductive "Spanish Eddie" to her version of Carole King's "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow;" from the "Lucky One" to the bouncy & bubbly "Name Game."
Her original version of "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" is a classic, far removed from the ear-popping reading of its composer, Michael Bolton. Another favorite is "Solitaire." and long before Celine Dion belted "The Power of Love," Laura was already wailing away this torch song, all three and a half minutes of a heart-wrenching ballad dripping with raw emotions. Her "Hold Me" is touching, shimmering and hypnotic.
While she never quite achieve a high level of popularity as her vocal talent may have merited, she's contributed to pop music in her own way. Half of today's listeners may not know her but I know I'll miss this one classy lady.
