1 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 1: In January two thousand nineteen, the St. Louis Blues hockey 2 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 1: team was in last place, dead last. All the wheels 3 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:14,880 Speaker 1: seemed to have fallen off the wagon. There's a lot 4 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 1: of concern around the St. Louis Blues. There's no jump, 5 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: there's no grip, there's no excitement. The NHL season had 6 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: started in October. This is unbelievable. A couple of months later, 7 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: their own fans booed them during and after a game. 8 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: By January there are chances of winning the Stanley Cup 9 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: were point six percent, not six percent, which would be 10 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:43,479 Speaker 1: bad enough. Point six The team trudged into Philly to 11 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 1: play the Philadelphia Flyers. We have a friend of ours 12 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,160 Speaker 1: from Philly. He invited us to this bar. That's St. 13 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: Louis Blues player Robert Bortuzzo. He and four other players 14 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 1: went out for some beers and cheese steaks the night 15 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 1: before their game. I mean, why not, you know what? 16 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 1: This place is papped characters. And then there's one guy 17 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:05,679 Speaker 1: who just kept wanting them to play Gloria, playing Gloria, 18 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 1: play Gloria. So they kept playing it Gloria, you know 19 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:15,839 Speaker 1: hit song from Laura Brann again. So the DJ kept 20 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: playing Gloria over and over, and the places going nuts. 21 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: The guys wind up having a pretty good time. They 22 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: go home, sleep off the booze. They go out the 23 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:39,479 Speaker 1: next day and they win three nothing, a shutout. Alexander Stein, 24 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: another player, says they went back to the locker room 25 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 1: that night and celebrated by playing Gloria. Throughout the course 26 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: of the season, as a group, you try and find 27 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: things that connect you more. They officially adopted Gloria as 28 00:01:54,200 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: their wind song, and then the Boy you Love It. 29 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 1: They won their next ten games playing Gloria. After everyone, 30 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:10,240 Speaker 1: it wasn't long before the song moved out of the 31 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 1: locker room and into the arena, to the delight of 32 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: thousands of screaming fans. We're no longer booing. A local 33 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 1: radio station played Gloria for twenty four hours straight. Gloria 34 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: continues down. I hope you're not tired of again, because 35 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: we're not. Let's go Blues baby. Lifelong fan Jim Patton 36 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: got to play Gloria Tattoo with the Blues and with Laura, 37 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: and then naturally fans started asking for Laura Brannigan to 38 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: come sing Gloria in person. I thought all that would 39 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 1: be cool. They brought her in for one of the games. 40 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 1: But there was one problem. So you say she died, Yeah, 41 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: Laura Brannigan died in her sleep in two thousand four. 42 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 1: But in two thousand nineteen, her chart topping hit took 43 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: the Blues all the weight at the top the way 44 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: it is over and the St. Louis Blues are the 45 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 1: Stanley Cup tippets for the first time in franchise mystery. 46 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 1: That's right. In five months they went from number thirty 47 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:26,920 Speaker 1: one to number one, worst to first go to my 48 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: grave singing glorious? So who was Laura Branding in anyway? 49 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: Even her neighbors didn't know who. She was really underrated 50 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: singer ever since he was a little kid. She could sing. 51 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: There was like a little mischievous secret to that smile. 52 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: And while I'm at it, who's Gloria? She's a little cuckoo. 53 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: I'm not positive, but I think it's about a mentally 54 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: disturbed woman. Was she a prostitute? Gloria from CDAs Sunday 55 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: Morning and Simon and Schuster, I'm Morocca and this see 56 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 1: mobituaries This mobid Laura Brandigan August two thousand four, death 57 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: of a singer life of a Song. Well, I wasn't 58 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 1: a big Laura Brannigan fan back then, but I certainly 59 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: am now, I certainly am. What did we listen to 60 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 1: before Laura brand Again? Was there before Laura Brandon? This 61 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,719 Speaker 1: is my best friend, Mario. We grew up together listening 62 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: to mostly show tunes. We both loved Cats. We had 63 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:58,479 Speaker 1: the record, and you pointed out that the LP was 64 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 1: better because especially if We're is a double LP, because 65 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:02,839 Speaker 1: you could look at all the pictures of all the cats. 66 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:06,599 Speaker 1: Broadway cast albums were an important part of our lives 67 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:12,039 Speaker 1: and our friendship. Don't cry for Men't for Avida. You 68 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: didn't have the broadway cast album you had. I had 69 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:17,479 Speaker 1: the original pelopone original Broadway cast album. I thought you 70 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:20,720 Speaker 1: had Elaine Page. I had pre Elaine Page. Julie Couvington 71 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 1: was the concert version. But while she wasn't a Broadway person, 72 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: Laura Brannigan captivated us. Whisper in her voice is great. Oh, 73 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: it's an amazing voice. And in fact, that's how I 74 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: learned what four octave means. She came along and I've 75 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: read some article about her four octave range. I mean, 76 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 1: she's obviously an attractive, pretty woman, but they never sort 77 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,279 Speaker 1: of marketed her effectively that way. Be factly, all she 78 00:05:47,440 --> 00:06:02,320 Speaker 1: was selling really was the boys. But also she was 79 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:04,840 Speaker 1: as talented as she was and with her voice being 80 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 1: so amazing, she was like a really average seeming person, 81 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,920 Speaker 1: like an accessible seeming right, but you could image and 82 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 1: sort of being friends with this woman. I could have 83 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 1: imagined her going to Pile Junior High seriously totally, and 84 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: even though she didn't go to junior high with us, 85 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: it turns out our feelings on Laura or Laurie as 86 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:26,840 Speaker 1: she was known growing up, we're pretty right on. Yeah, 87 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 1: she would sign anybody's autograph. She's just the same sweet 88 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:35,679 Speaker 1: kid we knew with fame. Mark brand Again is Laura's 89 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 1: older brother. He hasn't spoken publicly about his sister since 90 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 1: she died in two thousand four. So was she known 91 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 1: around the neighborhood as a kid with the pipes? Yeah? Yeah, 92 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 1: Oh my god? Could she sing? As a family, we 93 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 1: used to sing in church together sometimes, is that right? Yeah? Christmas, 94 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: we'd we'd go around and sing Christmas carols in front 95 00:06:56,000 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: of our neighbor's house, the whole family. Yeah. Yeah, And 96 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 1: if you couldn't sing in the Brannigan House, which I 97 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 1: can't really you were the off key one. Laura was 98 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: born in nine, the fourth of five kids to Jimmy 99 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: and Kathleen Brannigan, and this musical Irish Catholic family lived 100 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 1: in the small town of Armand, New York. When she 101 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: was little, did she say I want to be a 102 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 1: big recording star. No, she was very shy. It was 103 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 1: never she never tried to get attention to herself. She 104 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: just liked to sing, and oh, okay, great, And then 105 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 1: I heard her sing seriously. I just was like, you know, 106 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 1: and were your parents supportive of her aspiration? Yes, they 107 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: really were, especially my mother. No surprise there, Mark says. 108 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 1: Their mom performed on a radio talent show as a 109 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: kid and always sang around the house. All the neighbor 110 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 1: kids used to come around outside the window where my 111 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: mother would wash the dishes, and they'd sit there. She 112 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 1: wouldn't know we were out there, and she would sing 113 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 1: and all the little kids would clap. What would she 114 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 1: sing when she was washing dishes? Contemporary music from her background, 115 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 1: and I don't remember exactly, And yeah, she sang that 116 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: all the time. She put all the kids to bed, 117 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 1: and we make her sing to us. It was great. 118 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 1: There she here, she is? She looks at Ali Ryerson 119 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:39,199 Speaker 1: was one of Laura's best friends at Byram Hills High. 120 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:42,240 Speaker 1: We're looking at their high school year both that's me, 121 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 1: look at you there. Ali is a professional floutist, so 122 00:08:50,320 --> 00:09:03,199 Speaker 1: I couldn't resist making a request. That's great to remember 123 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 1: it that. What was our Monk like as a place 124 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:11,240 Speaker 1: to grow up? It was great? You know, I guess 125 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: what they call a New York bedroom community? Do they 126 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:18,680 Speaker 1: have a nice house? They were middle class where they lived. 127 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: It was not like the ritzy part of our Monk. 128 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 1: What was her style in high school? Like? When she 129 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 1: walked down the hall, was it like, there's Laurie. She 130 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:32,840 Speaker 1: had long, dark, flowing hair. It was always the perfect 131 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:36,079 Speaker 1: messy look. And I don't think on purpose at all. 132 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 1: It was that was the way that Laurie looked. She 133 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 1: was very striking, but in a very natural way. Laura 134 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 1: starred in the high school musical senior year. I think 135 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 1: it was Pajama Game. So she played babe. Yes, that's 136 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: I mean, that's a big belt role. You don't have 137 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,560 Speaker 1: a big voice to that. The kind of voice she had. 138 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 1: One of the things I remember about her was her ability, 139 00:09:58,559 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 1: her natural ability to harmonize, which is hard. It's really hard. 140 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: It's really hard. She just had a great ear. Now, 141 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: Ali doesn't remember Mrs brand Again as exactly happy, go lucky. 142 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 1: She was stern. That's what I remember, as Ali recalls, 143 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 1: Laura's mom was working in a dress shop and one 144 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: time the two teenage girls were gathering in the ladies 145 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:24,839 Speaker 1: room and I don't remember sitting on it, but for 146 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: some reason, the sink came out of the wall. Oh 147 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 1: my gosh, you sat on the sink in the ladies 148 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 1: root and it came out. We denied that we sat 149 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:38,720 Speaker 1: on it, but we might have hit it. And her 150 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 1: mother was like kind of furious, Well, okay, you did 151 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 1: rip the sink out of the wall. Well okay, I'm 152 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: kind of on Mrs Brannigan's side on this one. And 153 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: when I think that to it, I think you might 154 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:58,319 Speaker 1: be right. Laura wasn't the only brand Again trying to 155 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: pull one over on her mother. My kid brother, Billy Billy, 156 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:06,680 Speaker 1: he put marijuana plants on the roof. You had a 157 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:14,679 Speaker 1: rooftop marijuana garden. My mother fertilized. Your mother didn't realize 158 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 1: along with her roses and she's sit probably watering there 159 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:24,680 Speaker 1: going it's a great day for the Irish. I've heard 160 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 1: about your your sister pulling pranks. The best thing she did. 161 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 1: She had a friend named Ethan who was going over 162 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 1: to prep school and taking the s s France. Laura 163 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 1: and Ali and their friend Lisa went to see this 164 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: friend off on a cruise ship. One thing led to another. 165 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 1: We're giggling and a little tipsy, and I said, why 166 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:56,119 Speaker 1: don't we just stay on the ship. So we did. Yep. 167 00:11:56,240 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 1: The three girls stowed away and once they were found own, 168 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 1: it was too late to turn back. We're on our own. 169 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:07,880 Speaker 1: It's a five day crossing. Their parents are cold, but 170 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:10,839 Speaker 1: the punishment will have to wait. The girls are giving 171 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 1: cabins and waila. They're on vacation. We have five French 172 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:19,320 Speaker 1: waiters for the three of us. I know they gave 173 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:22,079 Speaker 1: us a bottle of wine. I'm pretty sure I've seen 174 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: these movies starring Marilyn Monroe, Ravel or something like you. 175 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:31,320 Speaker 1: Was there any romance on the ship. Well, one of 176 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 1: our waiters, Mario, I knew it was going to be 177 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:37,839 Speaker 1: a waiter, and you mentioned the five waiters. I had 178 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 1: a little flirtation with him. I don't know about Lori, 179 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 1: but Ali does have a distinct memory from that trip 180 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 1: of Laura doing what she loved most a few times. 181 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 1: I don't know if it's like a ballroom or a 182 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 1: lounge or something like that, an empty room with a 183 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 1: grand piano. I would find Lori in there at the piano, 184 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 1: playing and singing. That's a wonderful memory. I remember the 185 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 1: time that you gave me the votes. Now they prest 186 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 1: in the pages of Vault. And after high school, Laura 187 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 1: moved to New York City to study drama. She joined 188 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:41,000 Speaker 1: the folk rock band Meadow. I'm getting a strong Godspell 189 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:47,319 Speaker 1: vibe here. I mean, this was the early seventies after all, 190 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:51,439 Speaker 1: And a few years later she hit the road as 191 00:13:51,480 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 1: a backup singer for Leonard Cohen. Then she landed a 192 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 1: big time manager, Sid Bernstein, the man who brought the 193 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:11,920 Speaker 1: Beatles to America. He called Laura the next Judy Garland. 194 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:15,440 Speaker 1: Soon she booked a TV commercial for three m It 195 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:17,599 Speaker 1: was the first time a lot of people saw and 196 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 1: heard her and said got her in her room with 197 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: legendary Atlantic Records head A'm it aired again. I got 198 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 1: up and I said, Laura you're going to be an 199 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 1: Atlantic artist, and I think you're going to be a star. 200 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:41,320 Speaker 1: But for a couple of years it was a touch 201 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 1: and go. They knew Laura was great, but they couldn't 202 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 1: figure out exactly what to do with her. She recorded 203 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 1: a bunch of materials, but her first Album's got shelved 204 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:11,880 Speaker 1: until finally something clicked. It has an amazing beginning because 205 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:14,760 Speaker 1: instead of yeah, instead of like sort of like slowly 206 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 1: building up, it just like a now and says it's coming. 207 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:26,520 Speaker 1: The song it was like jumper cables. It is a 208 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 1: song with velocity, right velocity. It has its own velocity 209 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 1: and you are not going to get in a way. 210 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: It is gonna pummel you down. It's what I Have. 211 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 1: The Tiger tried to do right. I Have The Tiger 212 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 1: was a perfectly fine pop song in its day, but 213 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 1: it was like saying, boom, boom boom, we are doing this, 214 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: and Gloria doesn't try to do that. It just doesn't. 215 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: Gloria was Laura Brannigan's breakout hit, a certified platinum single 216 00:15:57,280 --> 00:16:00,440 Speaker 1: that earned her a Grammy nomination and a spot on 217 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:03,480 Speaker 1: the TV police drama A Chip Audition for You, With 218 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:05,520 Speaker 1: the kind of like foxes, um, why don't you listen 219 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 1: to our tape? Here? While it hovered a number two 220 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 1: on the charts and never quite made it to the 221 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 1: tippy top, Gloria stayed on the Billboard Hot one hundred 222 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:17,200 Speaker 1: for thirty six weeks. If you don't like doing the math, 223 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 1: that's eight and a half months. If I were doing 224 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 1: a soundtrack for my day, I wouldn't know where to 225 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 1: put it. Because it works well getting out of bed, 226 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 1: the alarm goes off, walking to work. It works for 227 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 1: like striding down the hallway and delivering some paper that's 228 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 1: that the boss is going to rave about. Isn't it 229 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 1: odd there have not been covers. I can't think of 230 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 1: any mainstream hit that has either successfully sampled or covered. 231 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 1: Gloria and Laura kept it up five a new album 232 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 1: every year, with more top ten hits. One of the 233 00:16:57,400 --> 00:16:59,200 Speaker 1: things that really kind of gets my cross is and 234 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:01,640 Speaker 1: people think she's a one hit wonder. She's not a 235 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 1: one hit wonder. Oh oh, arm Alright, let's talk about 236 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:15,720 Speaker 1: these other songs a little bit. Self control is a 237 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:21,880 Speaker 1: whole topic. It's entire podcast. It's a great song, it's 238 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 1: sort of a complex song. The night I remember the 239 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:34,280 Speaker 1: video being so weird like she was. She was kind 240 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 1: of like in this House of Horror type thing. Everyone 241 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:39,359 Speaker 1: had these creepy masks. It was a little sort of 242 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 1: eyes wide shot. The director of the Self Control video 243 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:50,119 Speaker 1: music video is William friedkin oh right, Yes, in The Exorcist, 244 00:17:50,119 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 1: the French Connection, the Boys in the Band, and Self 245 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:55,760 Speaker 1: Control the video. Yes, but she had three really big 246 00:17:55,840 --> 00:17:59,560 Speaker 1: hits she had Gloria self Control Solitaire. I mean I 247 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:01,919 Speaker 1: throw in there, how am I supposed to live without? 248 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 1: That was a big hid that's right. Laura was the 249 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:15,480 Speaker 1: first to sing this song, written by a then unknown 250 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 1: Michael Bolton. She gave his career a huge boost. Another 251 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:26,359 Speaker 1: songwriter who hit it big with Laura Diane Warren. Even 252 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 1: if you don't know her name, you definitely know her songs. 253 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:38,640 Speaker 1: Diane's work includes songs for Share, Aerosmith, Selene Dion, Lady Gaga, 254 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:41,600 Speaker 1: and a lot more. But before all of them, there 255 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 1: was Laura Brandagan. Was that a breakthrough for you when 256 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:51,440 Speaker 1: she sang Solitaire? I mean it was the first time 257 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: anything with my name on it went top ken, So 258 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:57,360 Speaker 1: it was pretty cool. Diane was just starting out when 259 00:18:57,400 --> 00:19:00,080 Speaker 1: she wrote new English lyrics to a French song on 260 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 1: called Solitaire. Laura sang it and the song went to 261 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:13,560 Speaker 1: number seven. How would you describe her voice? It was ballsy, 262 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 1: and it had power, and it had passion. It's just 263 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 1: one of those just larger than life voices. I mean, 264 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:22,280 Speaker 1: I love those kind of voices. And when Diane Warren 265 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:25,199 Speaker 1: says a voice has power, I mean, you're the authority 266 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:27,520 Speaker 1: on that. To me, she's one of the best singers 267 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 1: I ever worked with. Like Solitaire, several of Laura's early 268 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:38,200 Speaker 1: hits were English language covers of European songs. It might 269 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: surprise you that Gloria was originally an Italian love song 270 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:52,479 Speaker 1: by the singer Umbert Totosi. Okay, they changed the lyrics and, 271 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:59,480 Speaker 1: as Laura put it, gave it an American cap and 272 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 1: with that kick, it's sore. It's been featured every place, 273 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:09,679 Speaker 1: from Flashdance to South Park, Grand Theft Auto to the 274 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 1: assassination of Gianni Versacci. Let's face it, the St. Louis 275 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 1: Blues needed Gloria, not the other way around. What is 276 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:21,240 Speaker 1: it about a song like Gloria that it just keeps 277 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:25,119 Speaker 1: coming back? I mean, it's a great melody A and 278 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:27,800 Speaker 1: then what that lyric is singing about this character like 279 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 1: this happy music, edulent melody with this kind of tragic character. 280 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:37,080 Speaker 1: The lyrics certainly don't describe a happy character. I think 281 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:40,359 Speaker 1: you've got to slow down before you start to blow it. 282 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:44,200 Speaker 1: I think you're headed for a breakdown, so be careful 283 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:46,919 Speaker 1: not to show it what happens. I think there's so 284 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:50,320 Speaker 1: many people they get in the fast name and they 285 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:54,320 Speaker 1: lose the essence of themselves and they're so concerned with 286 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 1: keeping up. That's Laura herself weighing in on the meaning 287 00:20:58,359 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 1: of the song. And so what I'm doing in the 288 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:03,160 Speaker 1: song glory is telling it glory. But I slow down. 289 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:09,159 Speaker 1: That was and just a few years later, Laura's career 290 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:15,399 Speaker 1: did slow down, much sooner than she probably wanted. She 291 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:25,720 Speaker 1: had her last top twenty hit, the Lucky One. What happened. 292 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 1: Laura's relatable, she's beautiful, and she's got that voice. Um. 293 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:34,200 Speaker 1: You know, when I first got into this business, I 294 00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:38,359 Speaker 1: knew nothing about it, and um I got involved with 295 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:40,960 Speaker 1: the wrong people. They could have gone the next step 296 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 1: and really developed her as an artist. This is Diane 297 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:47,919 Speaker 1: Warren again. She should have had a long career. Turns 298 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:51,360 Speaker 1: out the cracks were starting to show early. She fired 299 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 1: her manager, Sid Bernstein, just as Gloria was climbing the charts. 300 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:58,679 Speaker 1: Her relationship with her next manager ended up in a 301 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:03,240 Speaker 1: legal dispute. Then someone new took the helm. I know 302 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:05,760 Speaker 1: you're married to your manager. That's right. He's in a 303 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:10,399 Speaker 1: supporting role. You can trust him. Yes, Laura had married 304 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 1: attorney Larry crew Tech nine months after meeting him in 305 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 1: crew Tech was closely involved with her career from the 306 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:22,000 Speaker 1: very beginning. I wasn't able to gather much insight into him. 307 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 1: Wore their relationship though. Diane Warren only remembers one thing 308 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:31,159 Speaker 1: about him. Remember we're in really tight leather pants, that's remember. 309 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:33,920 Speaker 1: And I don't sense a lot of love lost between 310 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: Laura's brother Mark and his brother in law. We didn't 311 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: fight with him, but there was no simpatico between us. 312 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:48,840 Speaker 1: Give him a holiday card, you know, Happy Thanksgiving, and 313 00:22:49,320 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 1: you know, and Laura's high school friend Ali never even 314 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:56,719 Speaker 1: met him. You know, Laurie kind of drifted off. And 315 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:59,560 Speaker 1: how did you feel about that? Sad and a little 316 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:05,640 Speaker 1: bit disappointed. In those days, you would print postcards and 317 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 1: mail them out. Laurie was on my mailing list, and 318 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 1: I would always write a note to her. Did you 319 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:15,119 Speaker 1: see each other or speak at all during the nineteen 320 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 1: seventies that whole decade? I don't think we did. You 321 00:23:19,359 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 1: never got any response, nothing, nothing. Laura also fell out 322 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:28,359 Speaker 1: of touch with her former bandmates from Meadow. One explanation 323 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:32,040 Speaker 1: maybe that she basically needed to erase five years from 324 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 1: her life. You see, fans thought Laura was born in 325 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:40,800 Speaker 1: The truth is she was born in ninety two. The 326 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 1: record company made her do it, and the only way 327 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:47,119 Speaker 1: we even found out about it was because many years 328 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:51,399 Speaker 1: after her death, the AP issued a correction. I remember 329 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:55,160 Speaker 1: reading on my computer and being kind of stunned. Mario's right. 330 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:59,880 Speaker 1: The Associated Press issued a correction to her obituary almost 331 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:03,960 Speaker 1: thirteen years after Laura died. But how did the APE 332 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 1: even find out? It all started in spring two thousand 333 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:15,160 Speaker 1: and fourteen. This is Swedish Laura Brannigan, superman steeg Akia 334 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:19,760 Speaker 1: person many people just call Misstigue. A retiree living in 335 00:24:19,760 --> 00:24:24,119 Speaker 1: a Swedish seaside village. Steve spent hundreds of hours on 336 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:29,440 Speaker 1: his computer doing research. I love it. People are collecting 337 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:33,679 Speaker 1: stamps or whatever. I am collecting all stuff I can 338 00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:39,200 Speaker 1: found of Laura Brannigan. One thing. This Swedish sleuth uncovered 339 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:43,080 Speaker 1: a great photo of the Brannigan family in their kitchen 340 00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:47,520 Speaker 1: together in nineteen fifty four. There's a baby Laura right 341 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 1: in the middle. It was a gold mine. I think 342 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:54,520 Speaker 1: the real significance in this news coming to light when 343 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:58,600 Speaker 1: Laura finally broke out with Gloria. She was thirty years old, 344 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:03,080 Speaker 1: not old in normal people terms, but certainly not young 345 00:25:03,119 --> 00:25:07,639 Speaker 1: in the pop music world. When you first heard the 346 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:09,680 Speaker 1: age she was putting out there, did you kind of 347 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:12,400 Speaker 1: roll your eyes and go, come on? It didn't bother 348 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: me as far as Laurie was concerned. I knew that 349 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:20,280 Speaker 1: that wasn't her choice. She would follow her team, and 350 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 1: I think she was right too. It's hard, yeah, navigating 351 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:29,639 Speaker 1: the music business, pop stardom, trying to stay on top 352 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:33,320 Speaker 1: while doing what's right for you for your career. It's 353 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 1: a lot. Heading into the nine nineties, she was still 354 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 1: putting out albums, but there were fewer and farther in between. 355 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:45,000 Speaker 1: So why such a long time. There are lots of 356 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:47,680 Speaker 1: obsessive Laura Brannigan fans out there that are wondering, where 357 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 1: have you been? Everybody says that that's TV and radio 358 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:56,879 Speaker 1: host Ernie Manoose talking to Laura about her album Over 359 00:25:56,920 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: My Heart. Does your management ever say to you, Laura, 360 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:02,040 Speaker 1: don't do this again. Do not take three years. We 361 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 1: need you out there. No, no, I have a new manager, 362 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:08,920 Speaker 1: frank Le, so take care of the old one. Yep. 363 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:12,639 Speaker 1: She'd taken on yet another manager, but the hits had 364 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:16,480 Speaker 1: dried up. How frustrating it must have been to be 365 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 1: Laura in the nineties when she knew she could still 366 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:22,240 Speaker 1: sing the hell out of a song, but the songs 367 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:35,240 Speaker 1: weren't going to her. Laura believed that this one would 368 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:39,080 Speaker 1: have put her back on top Celine Dion's hit from Titanic, 369 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:46,160 Speaker 1: My Heart Will Go On. I know perfect. You can 370 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:49,080 Speaker 1: hear the frustration in her voice on this phone call. 371 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:54,639 Speaker 1: I can hear you, and I can hear her singing it. 372 00:26:55,560 --> 00:26:58,960 Speaker 1: Why is it you have that magic? When Laura started out, 373 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:03,720 Speaker 1: her motivation seemed so pure. After Gloria hit, she went 374 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:07,479 Speaker 1: on American Bandstand and Dick Clark asked her about her future. 375 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:10,119 Speaker 1: What do you hope for the next ten years. I 376 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:15,400 Speaker 1: just always want to sing. I just always want to sing. Now. 377 00:27:15,520 --> 00:27:19,080 Speaker 1: Contrast that with Madonna, who was on just over a 378 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:21,880 Speaker 1: year later, What are your dreams? What's like to rule 379 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 1: the world, Ladies and gentlemen, this is Madonna. I don't 380 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 1: think Laura wanted to rule the world, but I don't 381 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:37,800 Speaker 1: think she wanted to fade away either. In any case, 382 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 1: Over My Heart turned out to be Laura's last album. 383 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 1: Not long after its release, her husband was diagnosed with 384 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:50,040 Speaker 1: colon cancer. Laura put her career on hold to take 385 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:55,679 Speaker 1: care of him. He died two years later, around the 386 00:27:55,720 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: same time her older brother Jimmy died. Then a few 387 00:28:01,119 --> 00:28:04,520 Speaker 1: years later, she fell from a ladder and broke both 388 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:08,600 Speaker 1: her legs. The grueling recovery meant more time away from 389 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:14,399 Speaker 1: her music. Here's her brother Mark again. That was a 390 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:17,720 Speaker 1: lot too for her to deal at that time, really 391 00:28:17,840 --> 00:28:24,480 Speaker 1: really tough. The rehab of that monsters monsters, and you know, 392 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 1: the public they want to hear you. And if they 393 00:28:27,359 --> 00:28:30,160 Speaker 1: don't hear you and see you, it's not that they 394 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:33,119 Speaker 1: forget about you. It's just that you're not on their mind. 395 00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:38,360 Speaker 1: But for a group of die hard fans, Laura was 396 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:41,960 Speaker 1: and still is on their mind. Tell me where the 397 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:45,520 Speaker 1: Spirit of love event is? Remember that woman on the 398 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:51,360 Speaker 1: phone with Laura High There that's Kathy golic A mo Yes. 399 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:54,560 Speaker 1: I met her at a Hilton Garden Inn on Long Island, 400 00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:57,719 Speaker 1: New York, where she was holding this year's Spirit of 401 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:02,200 Speaker 1: Love memorial gathering, in annual meeting of Laura Brannigan fans. 402 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:04,600 Speaker 1: When we come back to the hotel, it's like saying 403 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:08,120 Speaker 1: family there. Kathy started as a fan, became a friend, 404 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:12,440 Speaker 1: and now keeps Laura alive online. If you follow Laura 405 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 1: brand Again on Twitter, you're reading Kathy's posts. She was 406 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 1: even in St. Louis when the Blues won the Stanley 407 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:22,360 Speaker 1: Gloria's played and they would play a three or four times, 408 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:24,520 Speaker 1: so we were one of the last ones to leave 409 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:27,120 Speaker 1: the arena. Tell me the trip. Did you know anything 410 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:32,000 Speaker 1: about pro ice hockey before this? Casually? Casually she's filled 411 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:36,000 Speaker 1: one of the hotel conference rooms with memorabilia. I spotted 412 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:40,960 Speaker 1: a German movie poster and again and Ruth Gordon, Okay, 413 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 1: that's Laura dubbed into German in the movie Muggsy's Girls. 414 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 1: It's sort of like a female animal house. In case 415 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:54,520 Speaker 1: you haven't seen Muggsy's Girls, it's about a sorority that 416 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 1: enters a mud wrestling competition in Las Vegas in order 417 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:01,600 Speaker 1: to save their house. It's not Shakespeare, but hey, Ruth 418 00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:06,280 Speaker 1: Gordon was on board. Legend a great actress. Even years 419 00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:09,200 Speaker 1: after they had made this movie together, she used to 420 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 1: get together with Laura the Russian tabroom. Laura had a 421 00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:18,000 Speaker 1: grander ambitions as an actress. I think she did. I 422 00:30:18,040 --> 00:30:21,880 Speaker 1: think she did. Yeah. Cathy plans activities for the whole weekend, 423 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:25,680 Speaker 1: no matter what the turnout, and this year the turnout 424 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:30,280 Speaker 1: was modest, with just four fans. One of those die 425 00:30:30,320 --> 00:30:34,720 Speaker 1: hards is Colin Strong. This is my fourth year, fourth 426 00:30:34,840 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 1: year in a row. I'm a merchant mariner, so I 427 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:42,880 Speaker 1: go different places around the world South Korea, Japan, Dubai, 428 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:47,560 Speaker 1: and Long Island. This past year, Colin brought something special 429 00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:52,280 Speaker 1: to the event, a trophy that Laura won in Tokyo 430 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:56,480 Speaker 1: and this is the grand prize. Happy. I'm not thinking 431 00:30:56,480 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 1: that this thing is a big Colin found it on 432 00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:03,960 Speaker 1: eBay asked was it expensive A little bit? I'll take 433 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:08,280 Speaker 1: that as a yes. Supervan. Scott Thomas came up from Virginia. 434 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:10,720 Speaker 1: Last night at the beach. Were just sitting around having 435 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:13,760 Speaker 1: a little reflection. You know, everybody got two roses and 436 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:16,400 Speaker 1: we tossed him in the ocean for do you feel 437 00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:20,600 Speaker 1: a bond with the other fans? Definitely. Scott met Laura 438 00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:25,040 Speaker 1: after seven show in Virginia Beach, where he says she 439 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:27,640 Speaker 1: invited him to take a ride in her limo, but 440 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:31,360 Speaker 1: nothing happened. So I mean Huggan's kissing and stuff like that, 441 00:31:31,400 --> 00:31:34,600 Speaker 1: as Betty it now, Scott was already dating the woman 442 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 1: he's now married to. And how does she feel about 443 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:40,080 Speaker 1: his trip to New York this weekend? Didn't like it. 444 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:43,840 Speaker 1: I don't like it one bit. And finally, I'm a 445 00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:47,200 Speaker 1: light housekeeper with the Canadian Coast card Stanley West table 446 00:31:47,240 --> 00:31:50,240 Speaker 1: and you're holding a candle as it were for Laura. 447 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:54,320 Speaker 1: Stanley came by himself. He didn't know anyone here. He 448 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:58,880 Speaker 1: traveled three thousand miles from British Columbia, Canada because of 449 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:01,960 Speaker 1: Laura Brannigan. I could possibly say I'm here today because 450 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:04,480 Speaker 1: of her. In a more literal sense, I had a 451 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:08,600 Speaker 1: very bad personal break up in and it was her 452 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:12,200 Speaker 1: voice that called me back from the edge, Stanley sense 453 00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:17,520 Speaker 1: is something deeply empathetic in Laura's voice. It's almost as 454 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:21,480 Speaker 1: though she's speaking to you in a way saying I've 455 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:42,120 Speaker 1: been there even now. This heartrending sound isn't something that 456 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:46,600 Speaker 1: just superbands here. It's something people noticed about Laura from 457 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:49,440 Speaker 1: the beginnings. And you have a soulful quality in your 458 00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:54,160 Speaker 1: in your voice, almost a sadness. That's Johnny Carson interviewing 459 00:32:54,240 --> 00:33:01,000 Speaker 1: Laura back Edith Off at all. That's interesting. I was 460 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:03,120 Speaker 1: thinking of Edith Poff when I was listening to you sing. 461 00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:08,800 Speaker 1: Edith Poff was the iconic French shantouse known for her 462 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:12,640 Speaker 1: torch songs and a life beset by tragedy. Oh that 463 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 1: was her favorite singer of all the time. She turned 464 00:33:16,120 --> 00:33:18,560 Speaker 1: me onto you off. I mean, she just loved it. 465 00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:23,400 Speaker 1: Mark Brannigan also hears the pain in his sister's voice. 466 00:33:23,920 --> 00:33:25,680 Speaker 1: She could break your heart with a song, you know, 467 00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:30,840 Speaker 1: and you'd see she was crying so and songwriter Diane 468 00:33:30,880 --> 00:33:34,520 Speaker 1: Warren says, you can't teach that kind of passion. You 469 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:38,080 Speaker 1: either have soul and feeling or you know. And she 470 00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:43,360 Speaker 1: did this extra layer, this depth to Laura's voice. She 471 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:46,959 Speaker 1: alluded to its roots during a conversation with Joan Rivers, 472 00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:49,959 Speaker 1: you do a lot of sad song. Now what are 473 00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:52,080 Speaker 1: you drawing is your life? And say it or I 474 00:33:52,160 --> 00:33:54,280 Speaker 1: had not well, it has been you know, I had 475 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:57,560 Speaker 1: had a rough time growing up, and um, I think 476 00:33:57,560 --> 00:34:03,720 Speaker 1: I don't do a lot of that, okay, and it's okay. 477 00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:07,640 Speaker 1: I can't know for sure what Laura is referring to there, 478 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:11,839 Speaker 1: but one person we haven't talked about is Laura's father. 479 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:21,920 Speaker 1: My father was to say he had been very successful 480 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:25,920 Speaker 1: on Wall Street, very successful after World War Two. I 481 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:28,560 Speaker 1: don't know by the time we all got to be 482 00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:32,880 Speaker 1: in the teens he was. He was not not in 483 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:38,880 Speaker 1: good shape. Her childhood was not Oh Roses. This is 484 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:42,879 Speaker 1: her high school friend Ali Ryerson. Again, her father, who 485 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:46,000 Speaker 1: was a wonderful man, would be gone for a few 486 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:49,319 Speaker 1: days and then come back. He would have been better 487 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:52,600 Speaker 1: off had he never had a drink in his life. 488 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:57,320 Speaker 1: Let's just put it that way, you know. In the 489 00:34:57,440 --> 00:35:00,640 Speaker 1: liner notes to Self Control and al Them, which came 490 00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:05,399 Speaker 1: out the year after Laura's father died, Laura writes, for Dad, 491 00:35:05,880 --> 00:35:09,400 Speaker 1: now I know you're listening, let me read you something. 492 00:35:10,520 --> 00:35:15,960 Speaker 1: Her unhappy personal life in unadorned though dramatic style underlined 493 00:35:16,040 --> 00:35:20,160 Speaker 1: her expressive voice, and she was able to move audiences 494 00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:24,360 Speaker 1: with her passionate renditions of songs that were often about 495 00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:29,600 Speaker 1: love and Loss. That's not about Laura Brown again. It's 496 00:35:29,640 --> 00:35:45,080 Speaker 1: from an Encyclopedia entry on Edith Poff. I'm going to 497 00:35:45,120 --> 00:35:47,680 Speaker 1: see Laura Brannagan tomorrow night of Madison Square Garden, and 498 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:50,960 Speaker 1: I have some advice for her. Open and clothes with Gloria, 499 00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:55,360 Speaker 1: do it a couple of times in between. That's David 500 00:35:55,440 --> 00:35:58,799 Speaker 1: Spade from an old Saturday Night Live. It's a funny bit. 501 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:02,560 Speaker 1: While there's so much more to Laura Brandigan, she will 502 00:36:02,640 --> 00:36:05,920 Speaker 1: always be remembered for Gloria, and I don't think that's 503 00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:09,480 Speaker 1: a bad thing. In one interview, she said, look, I 504 00:36:09,719 --> 00:36:13,360 Speaker 1: end every concert with Gloria and people just go crazy. 505 00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:16,359 Speaker 1: And I bet I'd like to think that she never 506 00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:20,120 Speaker 1: resented that. I think she was grateful to sing that 507 00:36:20,239 --> 00:36:23,000 Speaker 1: song because that's the song that really made our star. 508 00:36:23,960 --> 00:36:27,439 Speaker 1: This is Tommy Biokos. At the end of our set list, 509 00:36:27,920 --> 00:36:32,240 Speaker 1: we would do self Control set Gloria. In the early 510 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:36,760 Speaker 1: two thousands, Laura, after recovering from her injuries, was attempting 511 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:40,120 Speaker 1: to come back twenty years after the release of Gloria. 512 00:36:41,239 --> 00:36:47,320 Speaker 1: Tommy was in her band while on tour together, he 513 00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:51,319 Speaker 1: and Laura started dating. She also started recording a new 514 00:36:51,440 --> 00:36:54,920 Speaker 1: album and writing a cookbook. The idea towards the end 515 00:36:55,040 --> 00:36:58,400 Speaker 1: was to have her cookbook, the new CD and a 516 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:01,360 Speaker 1: world tour and hit the world that once was she 517 00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:06,399 Speaker 1: a great cook exceptional. At the time, Laura was living 518 00:37:06,480 --> 00:37:10,160 Speaker 1: on Long Island with her mother, who had developed Alzheimer's. 519 00:37:12,719 --> 00:37:16,680 Speaker 1: She would take her into the recording sessions my mother, 520 00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:22,000 Speaker 1: but my sister took her everywhere, took her everywhere, and 521 00:37:22,120 --> 00:37:25,800 Speaker 1: in her world it was Laura and everybody was happy, 522 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:30,479 Speaker 1: and it's so sweet. She she was a sweet person. Yeah. 523 00:37:33,920 --> 00:37:37,320 Speaker 1: In the summer of two thousand four, Laura started getting 524 00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:42,319 Speaker 1: headaches and then on the morning of August, Mark got 525 00:37:42,400 --> 00:37:45,920 Speaker 1: a call from the caretaker at the house nine in 526 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:50,360 Speaker 1: the morning. I thought, she said, my mother died, and 527 00:37:51,360 --> 00:37:54,600 Speaker 1: I said, okay, well let me speak to Mary, and 528 00:37:54,719 --> 00:38:02,439 Speaker 1: she goes, no, Mori's dead. Laura died of a brain 529 00:38:02,520 --> 00:38:06,480 Speaker 1: aneurism after going to sleep the night before. She was 530 00:38:06,560 --> 00:38:22,840 Speaker 1: fifty two. I was driving on and I heard the 531 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:27,160 Speaker 1: news that Laura Brannigan had had died. I pulled off 532 00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:30,760 Speaker 1: and I called my brother John and we cried together. 533 00:38:34,239 --> 00:38:36,600 Speaker 1: You called me that morning when you heard the news. 534 00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:40,680 Speaker 1: He said, you know, I'm genuinely sad about this. She 535 00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:43,520 Speaker 1: was the big star, but she was also hours. It 536 00:38:43,600 --> 00:38:46,560 Speaker 1: was a personal thing, that's exactly right, And it was 537 00:38:46,640 --> 00:38:50,320 Speaker 1: a lesson in mortality and maybe like the end of 538 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:56,520 Speaker 1: our youth in some respect, because I know you. But 539 00:38:58,440 --> 00:39:01,319 Speaker 1: it was the most beautiful voice. It was the most 540 00:39:01,360 --> 00:39:07,440 Speaker 1: beautiful voice. And I remember her brother Mark was so angry. 541 00:39:07,640 --> 00:39:11,920 Speaker 1: He was so angry to have lost her. There was 542 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:16,080 Speaker 1: a private funeral service for Laura, but her mother wasn't there. 543 00:39:18,120 --> 00:39:23,239 Speaker 1: You know, I never told my mother she died. I um. 544 00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:28,919 Speaker 1: I told her she was in Europe. She was doing 545 00:39:29,120 --> 00:39:33,280 Speaker 1: a tour in California, and we would send our friends 546 00:39:35,040 --> 00:39:38,160 Speaker 1: envelopes that they would put from different parts of the 547 00:39:38,239 --> 00:39:42,640 Speaker 1: world to my mother from Mauri. Why what I was 548 00:39:42,680 --> 00:39:44,880 Speaker 1: going to tell her that her daughter died after losing 549 00:39:44,920 --> 00:39:48,759 Speaker 1: my older brother. I mean, that was the compassionate thing 550 00:39:48,800 --> 00:39:55,840 Speaker 1: to do. Oh sure, And she never knew. You know, 551 00:39:56,400 --> 00:39:59,040 Speaker 1: some people think it was a new Goaldie that brought 552 00:39:59,080 --> 00:40:02,719 Speaker 1: the St. Louis Blue to victory, but I think it 553 00:40:02,880 --> 00:40:07,480 Speaker 1: was Laura. When I heard that that hockey team was 554 00:40:07,560 --> 00:40:11,920 Speaker 1: doing it, I don't follow hobby. I said to myself, 555 00:40:13,200 --> 00:40:16,160 Speaker 1: they're they're going to have a run because that song, 556 00:40:16,280 --> 00:40:19,080 Speaker 1: it's got a lot of kara behind it, you know. 557 00:40:19,600 --> 00:40:24,400 Speaker 1: So did they end up winning anything? Mark? They won 558 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:30,000 Speaker 1: the whole thing. They won the Stanley Cup. That's amazing. 559 00:40:30,840 --> 00:40:33,839 Speaker 1: And they were in the last place, they were down 560 00:40:33,920 --> 00:40:36,520 Speaker 1: in the dumps. They heard that song and they said 561 00:40:36,560 --> 00:40:39,279 Speaker 1: that's going to be the anthem and it went right. 562 00:40:39,640 --> 00:40:47,800 Speaker 1: That's unbot You've done good for me. She wasn't a 563 00:40:47,880 --> 00:40:52,160 Speaker 1: one hit wonder. She hasn't been forgotten. There was something 564 00:40:52,280 --> 00:40:57,080 Speaker 1: compelling behind that big sound. She's saying with power and substance, 565 00:40:57,760 --> 00:41:16,760 Speaker 1: sadness and warmth and that voice. It's still here. Next 566 00:41:16,840 --> 00:41:22,680 Speaker 1: time on Mobituaries, the Orphan Train and the largest mass 567 00:41:22,760 --> 00:41:28,400 Speaker 1: migration of children in American history. Well a quarter million 568 00:41:28,560 --> 00:41:33,480 Speaker 1: children were moved to west from fifty four A quarter 569 00:41:33,640 --> 00:41:36,759 Speaker 1: million people. That's like the population of Cleveland. That's a 570 00:41:36,800 --> 00:41:44,040 Speaker 1: lot of people. I certainly hope you enjoyed this mobituary. 571 00:41:44,760 --> 00:41:48,120 Speaker 1: Ask you to please rate and review our podcast. You 572 00:41:48,160 --> 00:41:51,840 Speaker 1: can also follow Mobituaries on Facebook and Instagram, and you 573 00:41:51,920 --> 00:41:55,320 Speaker 1: can follow me on Twitter at Morocca. You can subscribe 574 00:41:55,360 --> 00:42:00,600 Speaker 1: to Mobituaries wherever you get your podcasts. This episode of 575 00:42:00,680 --> 00:42:05,600 Speaker 1: Mobituaries was produced and edited by Alison Byrne. Our team 576 00:42:05,640 --> 00:42:10,360 Speaker 1: of producers also includes Megan Marcus, Harry Wood and me Morocca. 577 00:42:10,840 --> 00:42:14,640 Speaker 1: It was engineered by Bart Warshaw. Special thanks to Chris 578 00:42:14,800 --> 00:42:19,320 Speaker 1: Van Cleeve at Sumy Foreman, Amanda Creek, Thomas, Alberto Robina, 579 00:42:19,680 --> 00:42:24,600 Speaker 1: Nathan Miller, Matt Sello, Joe Causey, Kathy Golick, Triumph Brewing 580 00:42:24,680 --> 00:42:27,799 Speaker 1: Company of New Hope, and the Stanley Cup winning St. 581 00:42:27,880 --> 00:42:33,560 Speaker 1: Louis Blues. Indispensable support from Genius Staneski, Richard Rohr and 582 00:42:33,760 --> 00:42:37,600 Speaker 1: everyone at CBS News Radio. Our theme music is written 583 00:42:37,680 --> 00:42:41,919 Speaker 1: by Daniel Hart and as always, undying thanks to Rand 584 00:42:42,040 --> 00:42:57,120 Speaker 1: Morrison and John carp without whom Mobituaries couldn't live. Hi, 585 00:42:57,400 --> 00:43:01,440 Speaker 1: It's mo. If you're enjoying Mobituary the podcast, may I 586 00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:05,600 Speaker 1: invite you to check out Mobituaries the book. It's chock 587 00:43:05,719 --> 00:43:09,759 Speaker 1: full of stories not in the podcast. Celebrities who put 588 00:43:09,800 --> 00:43:12,680 Speaker 1: their butts on the line, sports teams that threw in 589 00:43:12,719 --> 00:43:18,440 Speaker 1: the towel for good, forgotten fashions, defunct diagnoses, presidential candidacies 590 00:43:18,560 --> 00:43:23,560 Speaker 1: that cratered whole countries that went to put and dragons, Yes, dragons, 591 00:43:23,760 --> 00:43:25,839 Speaker 1: you see, people used to believe that dragons will real 592 00:43:25,920 --> 00:43:29,880 Speaker 1: until just get the book. You can order Mobituaries the 593 00:43:29,920 --> 00:43:33,240 Speaker 1: book from any online bookseller, or stop by your local 594 00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:36,000 Speaker 1: bookstore and look for me when I come to your city. 595 00:43:36,440 --> 00:43:40,480 Speaker 1: Tour information and lots more at mobituaries dot com