Glen Hansard, the Irish singer-songwriter who won an Oscar in 2008 for best original song, has died. He was 56.
The musician died in a motorbike crash near his native Dublin early on Wednesday morning, with local police appealing for witnesses to the accident, according to the BBC.
Hansard was best known as the frontman for the rock band the Frames, though he had successful solo albums with 2012’s Rhythm and Repose and 2015’s Didn’t He Ramble. The latter earned a Grammy Award nomination for best folk album.
Hansard also wrote music for film, appearing in the BAFTA-winning The Commitments (1991) and Irish music drama Once (2007), in which he and co-star Markéta Irglová played a dramatized version of their real-life musical pairing, folk rock duo The Swell Season. It won them the Academy Award for best original song the following year, for the title track “Falling Slowly.”
In a statement given to the BBC, ATC Management, which represented Hansard, said: “With broken hearts we announce the passing of Glen Hansard who passed away, in the early hours of this morning, following a road traffic accident in Dublin.”
“Glen’s family is deeply shocked and heartbroken by this tragic loss and respectfully requests privacy at this extremely difficult time,” they continued. “The family is grateful for the support they have received and wishes to thank the emergency services who attended the scene.”
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin joined the outpouring of grief as the news broke Wednesday afternoon, posting on X that he was “deeply saddened” to learn of Hansard’s death. “A talented musician and actor who made a significant contribution to Ireland‘s cultural landscape over many years. My sincere sympathies to his family, friends, and fans,” Martin wrote.
Hansard was father to a 3-year-old boy.
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