We received a note from our friend Richard Hawkins who runs the Bluegrass Ireland Blog, and posts at the European Bluegrass Blog, about a bluegrass connection to last weekend’s Academy Awards presentation in Los Angeles. Richard pointed out that one of the writers of the award for Music (Song), Glen Hansard, is a former member of Ireland’s Niall Toner Band.
Toner is a longtime singer and songwriter in Ireland who Hawkins describes as the godfather of Irish bluegrass.
Hansard and fellow songwriter and Marketa Irglova won for the song Falling Slowly from the movie, Once. You can see a live performance video of the song on the Fox Searchlight web site.
Author: John Lawless
John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2004 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.
View all posts by John Lawless
