Glen Hansard Performs Tribute to Jason Molina on ‘Letterman’

Irish singer-songwriter, Swell Season frontman and Once actor Glen Hansard just released an EP featuring covers of songs by the late Jason Molina, and last night (March17), Hansard performed one of the tracks on The Late Show with David Letterman.

Playing "Being in Love" (video above) from It Was Triumph We Once Proposed… Songs of Jason Molina, Hansard brought a tenderness that he has been known for to the song. He was joined by Jeff Panall, Jennie Benford and Dan and Rob Sullivan, who (like Hansard) knew Molina for years before he died of organ failure due to alcohol abuse in 2013.

Hansard initially met Molina in Dublin after listening to the debut 7-inch by Molina's project, Songs: Ohia, which led to a longtime friendship. “Jason Molina was a hero and a friend, I wrote him my first fan letter, I always loved his music and singing these songs is the only way to make sense of losing him," Hansard said in a statement.

Yesterday's performance really did feel like a touching tribute and was a performance that everyone (including the host) felt. "Friend of yours? Awesome songwriter. What a beautiful song," Letterman said before he signed off.

You can order your copy of It Was Triumph We Once Proposed… Songs of Jason Molina here.