Melanie Thornton

La Bouche

(b. May 1967, South Carolina; died November 24, 2001, Switzerland)

ZURICH (Reuters) – U.S.-born pop singer Melanie Thornton, on tour to publicize her solo album “Ready to Fly,” died on Saturday night in a Swiss plane crash near Zurich, police said Sunday.  “It is true that Miss Thornton was on the passenger list. She is not among the survivors,” Zurich police spokesman Karl Steiner told Reuters. Nine people survived out of the 33 aboard the Crossair jet and police said 24 were presumed dead. Melanie’s latest single, “Wonderful Dream,” is the song of a new Coca-Cola commercial and was due to be in stores starting Monday. Thornton, born in May 1967 in South Carolina, was for many years the voice of the group La Bouche with whom she had worldwide sales successes with songs such as “Sweet Dreams,” ”Fallin’ In Love” and “Be My Lover.”  But their second album flopped and Thornton left the group in February 2000 for an independent career.  Although born in the United States, her singing career started in Germany under the auspices of Franc Farian, who has launched many pop bands. She had arrived with just $15 in her pockets to join her sister in Germany in 1992.  It was said, “She became successful enough to book New York clubs, and L.A. venues.”  With her singing partner Lane McCray, she celebrated world-wide successes with La Bouche and they sold more than 10 million units and obtained gold and platinum awards in over 15 countries.