Glen Hansard dies
The Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard died last night in a motorcycle accident in Dublin. Glen Hansard was active as a musician from a young age, leaving school prematurely. In 1991, he already had a leading role in the musical film “The Commitments” by director Alan Parker. After that, he started the band The Frames in 1992. Their second album “Fitzcarraldo” from 1996 became especially successful in Ireland and Great Britain.
In 2006 he combined making music with acting. Together with his then Czech girlfriend Markéta Irglová, he started the duo The Swell Season. They played the leading roles together in the film “Once”, and provided the soundtrack for it. The song “Falling Slowly” even received an Oscar for ‘Best Original Song’ and a Grammy Award nomination.
Since the release of his solo debut “Rhythm and Repose” in 2012, Glen Hansard has been active as a solo artist. Five more albums followed. The last of these was released in 2023: “All That Was East Is West of Me Now”. In 2025, he performed again with his ex Markéta Irglová as The Swell Season. Last year they released another album together: “Forward”.
Furthermore, Glen Hansard was good friends with Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder. Hansard regularly provided the support act for solo tours by Vedder. In 2013, they released a cover together of “Drive All Night” by Bruce Springsteen, on which Springsteen’s saxophonist Jake Clemons also collaborated. In that year he played the same song together with Springsteen himself during his concert in the Irish city of Kilkenny.
Glen Hansard was particularly active last year. He released two live albums, and went on tour. Maxazine was there in Utrecht, Netherlands, and wrote: ‘With Glen Hansard you know that he is always strong live. Whether it is mainly acoustic songs or powerful material. This evening the emphasis was on somewhat heavier material from The Frames, but he effortlessly knew how to alternate that with his quieter solo material. Without it taking the pace out of the show. That makes a concert by him still worth every penny.’
Glen Hansard was 56 years old.
