Glen Hansard, the Irish singer-songwriter best known for his role in the 2007 film Once and for fronting The Frames, has died at the age of 56 following a motorcycle accident. Rolling Stone's tribute describes him as far more than the gentle busker-turned-balladeer persona many associated with Once or his earlier role as bassist Outspan Foster in The Commitments, noting that his wider body of work was often darker, more restless and musically adventurous than his popular image suggested.

The piece recalls a standout 2019 performance at Carnegie Hall, where Hansard was taking part in a tribute to his idol Van Morrison; after apparent sound issues, he unplugged his guitar and performed Morrison's "Astral Weeks" acoustically at the edge of the stage, turning the 2,800-seat venue into an impromptu sing-along reminiscent of his busking roots on Dublin's streets. The writer, Jonathan Bernstein, who interviewed Hansard in 2019, praises his gift as both a songwriter and an interpreter of others' material, citing a celebrated 2012 cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Drive All Night" as evidence of his ability to reveal himself through other artists' songs.