Oscar-winning Irish musician Glen Hansard dies in motorcycle crash

Irish musician Glen Hansard, celebrated for his Oscar win for Best Original Song in 2008 for the indie film "Once," has died in a motorcycle crash. He was 56. Hansard, also the lead singer of the rock group The Frames, passed away early Wednesday, according to his management company.

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he and his band were heartbroken at the death of a "great musician, a good friend and a generous and gracious man."

Bruce Springsteen, who shared a stage with Hansard, expressed heartbreak, calling him a "great musician, a good friend and a generous and gracious man." Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin lauded him as an artist who "made a significant contribution to Ireland's culture." Hansard began busking in Dublin at 13 and formed The Frames in 1990, becoming a fixture in the Irish music scene for four decades.

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an artist "who made a significant contribution to Ireland's cultural landscape."

His career included solo albums and collaborations, notably with Marketa Irglova in The Swell Season. Their work on "Once," a low-budget film about a street musician and an immigrant, brought Hansard's music to a global audience. The film's Oscar-winning song, "Falling Slowly," and its subsequent Broadway adaptation, which won eight Tony Awards, cemented his legacy.

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What are we doing here? This is mad.

Beyond his music, Hansard was recognized for his extensive charity work, particularly his advocacy against homelessness. An annual Christmas Eve busking event he initiated in 2010 has raised over €2 million for the Dublin Simon Community. Tributes from fellow artists like Bono and Shane MacGowan underscored his impact and generosity. Hansard is survived by his wife, Maire Saaritsa, and their young son.

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"a giant in the fight against homelessness."