Smash Mouth lead Steve Harwell dies at 56, day after being moved to hospice

Steve Harwell, the ex-lead of the famed rock band Smash Mouth, renowned for their 1999 smash hit All Star and for being on the Shrek soundtrack, died on Monday, September 4, at the age of 56.

What

Steve Harwell, the American vocalist renowned for his late-90s stardom and as the lead for the beloved rock band Smash Mouth, died on Monday due to liver illness, merely a day after being moved to hospice care. He was 56.

His death at his home in Boise, Idaho, US, was announced and confirmed by the group's manager, Robert Hayes, who attributed it to liver failure. 

TMZ was the first to report the news of Harwell being moved to the hospice following liver failure, which was reportedly due to excessive alcohol consumption. 

Smash Mouth and Harwell

• Back in 1994, Harwell embarked on his journey with Smash Mouth, joining forces with three fellow musicians. Their rise to stardom boomed miraculously after securing a deal with label brand Interscope. 
• Their debut single, Walkin' on the Sun, skyrocketed to the UK Top 20, and their inaugural album, Fush Yu Mang, eventually clinched double platinum status in the US.

• The year 1999 was the year that pushed Smash Mouth to the peak, with the release of All Star, a track that soared to the Top 5 in the US and achieved added acclaim after being featured on the Shrek soundtrack. 

Over the years, Smash Mouth has recorded a surprising stream number of a whooping one billion streams on Spotify.

Harwell’s health complications

Steve Harwell’s death comes after several days full of acute health complications.

• Harwell reportedly was suffering from alcoholism and multiple health problems.
• By 2013, he received a diagnosis of cardiomyopathy, a heart condition, and later encountered acute Wernicke encephalopathy, a neurological disorder, impacting his memory and speech.