Glen Hansard, the Irish singer-songwriter who won an Oscar for the film Once and built a devoted following across California and beyond, has died following a motorcycle crash. He was 56. The news broke Tuesday and hit the music world hard.
Hansard fronted the Irish band the Frames and was one half of the duo the Swell Season, whose song "Falling Slowly" took home the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008. That win turned a low-budget Dublin busking film into a full-blown cultural touchstone. He was killed in a motorcycle crash, per the BBC, The Guardian, and The New York Times. Circumstances have not yet been confirmed.
Hansard had a loyal fanbase throughout California, regularly selling out venues in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and beyond. His acoustic sets were raw and deeply personal, pulling in crowds who connected hard with his storytelling. His death is already trending across social media statewide.
What We Know So Far
The BBC and The Guardian have both confirmed Hansard died in a motorcycle crash at age 56. He was the frontman of the Frames, one of Ireland's most celebrated rock bands, and an Oscar-winning songwriter. No details about the location or circumstances of the crash have been confirmed.
His Legacy
The Oscar was just one piece of it. Hansard spent decades as one of Ireland's most respected live performers. "Falling Slowly," written with Markéta Irglová, became one of the most recognized love songs of the 2000s and introduced millions of Americans, many of them in California, to his music. The Once stage musical ran on Broadway and toured widely, keeping his songs in circulation for years after the film.
This Story Is Developing
Details remain limited and may change. CAL WIRE will update as confirmed reports come in. Glen Hansard was 56.