Smash Mouth Lead Singer Steve Harwell Dead at age 56

Former Smash Mouth c-founder and lead singer Steve Harwell has died, he was 56 years old. On Sunday, it had been announced by Smash Mouth manager Robert Hayes that Harwell had entered in hospice care for final-stage chronic liver failure, was being looked after by his fiancée, and that he had “only a week or so to live.”

Hayes said in a statement that Harwell “passed peacefully and comfortably” on Monday morning at his home in Boise, Idaho, “surrounded by family and friends,” adding: “Steve has been retired from Smash Mouth for two years now, and the band continues to tour with new vocalist Zach Goode. That said, Steve’s legacy will live on through the music. With Steve, Smash Mouth has sold over 10 million albums worldwide and topped the charts with two No. 1 hit singles, five top 40 singles, three Hot 100 singles, four Billboard 200 albums and a Grammy nomination not to mention the hundreds of film and television placements and of course those musical features in Shrek.

“Steve’s iconic voice is one of the most recognizable voices from his generation. He loved the fans and loved to perform,” Hayes continued. “Steve Harwell was a true American original. A larger-than-life character who shot up into the sky like a Roman candle. Steve should be remembered for his unwavering focus and impassioned determination to reach the heights of pop stardom. And the fact that he achieved this near-impossible goal with very limited musical experience makes his accomplishments all the more remarkable. His only tools were his irrepressible charm and charisma, his fearlessly reckless ambition, and his king-size cajones. Steve lived a 100 percent full-throttle life. Burning brightly across the universe before burning out.”

Born in California in 1967, Harwell performed in a rap group called F.O.S. (Freedom of Speech) before forming Smash Mouth in 1994. The band released two platinum albums on Interscope Records, the ska-fueled 1997’s “Fush Yu Mang” and 1999’s “Astro Lounge.”

Smash Mouth was formed in 1994 and was nominated for a Grammy for the hit “All Star,” which was also featured on the soundtrack of the movie “Shrek.” During Harwell’s tenure with Smash Mouth, the band sold over ten million albums worldwide, had two #1 hit singles.

#Allstar #Live pic.twitter.com/tuyAqGRJsN

— Smash Mouth (@smashmouth) December 23, 2022

Steve Harwell was a true American Original. A larger than life character who shot up into the sky like a Roman candle. Steve will be remembered for his unwavering focus and impassioned determination to reach the heights of pop stardom.
Rest in peace knowing you aimed for the… pic.twitter.com/qZDliiIl30

— Smash Mouth (@smashmouth) September 4, 2023

This is not the first time that the Harwell family has experienced a health tragedy. In 2001, the Smash Mouth frontman’s 8-month-old son with then-wife Michelle Laroque, Presley Scott Harwell, died of complications from acute lymphatic leukemia after being ill with the disease for only a few weeks. The singer later created the Presley Scott Research Foundation for Leukemia in his son’s honor.