Glen Hansard, the distinctive voice behind the Irish band The Frames and a Grammy-nominated solo artist, died Tuesday in a motorcycle accident in Dublin. He was 54.
Hansard first gained wider recognition for his role as 'Outspan' Foster in Alan Parker's 1991 film "The Commitments." He later achieved international acclaim for the 2007 film "Once," for which he co-wrote the Oscar-winning Best Original Song, "Falling Slowly," with co-star Markéta Irglová.
Born April 21, 1970, in Ballymun, Dublin, Hansard left school at 13 to pursue music, learning to play guitar and busking on the streets. He often cited Bob Dylan as a formative influence.
"I got all my education on the street, basically," Hansard once told RTÉ. "I learned how to play it, and that saved me."
In 1990, Hansard formed The Frames, a band that would evolve over decades and release six studio albums. Their 2004 album "Burn the Maps" reached No. 1 in Ireland. A planned 30th-anniversary concert for The Frames in 2020 was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and held in 2022.
"Once," which Hansard starred in and co-wrote the music for, became a critical and commercial success. The film's breakout song, "Falling Slowly," earned him and Irglová the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The film also spawned a successful stage musical that premiered on Broadway in 2012, earning eight Tony Awards.
Hansard was also known for his annual Christmas Eve busking tradition in Dublin, which raised money for homeless charities and often featured guest artists like Bono and Imelda May. He was an advocate for social causes, notably participating in the 2017 occupation of Apollo House, a derelict building that was temporarily used to house the homeless.
His solo career saw the release of five studio albums, including "Didn’t He Ramble," which received a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album. In December 2023, Hansard performed "Fairytale of New York" with Lisa O'Neill and The Pogues at the funeral of Shane MacGowan.
In 2022, Hansard married Finnish poet Maire Saaritsa, with whom he had a son. He once described fatherhood as a "complete perspective shift."
Friends and collaborators remembered Hansard for his passionate performances and his commitment to social justice. He was hailed as a defining voice in Irish music, admired by artists such as Bruce Springsteen and Eddie Vedder.