Steve Harwell, Smash Mouth Singer, Dies at 56

Steve Harwell, the musician best known for being the frontman of Smash Mouth, has died. Earlier this month, it was reported the singer had entered hospice care after battling liver failure and cardiomyopathy for several years. He was 56.

TMZ first reported Harwell’s condition, saying the actor had been hospitalized for his illnesses until he and his family opted to be moved to hospice care at home. In addition to liver failure and cardiomyopathy, Harwell had been diagnosed with Wernicke encephalopathy, a condition that impact one’s motor functions such as speech and memory.

“He is surrounded by Family and Friends,” Harwell’s representative wrote in a statement to Vulture when he first entered hospice. “My only additional comment is that we would hope that people would respect Steve and his family’s privacy during this difficult time.”

Born in 1967, Harwell helped form Smash Mouth in 1994 and served as a part of the band until his retirement in 2021. He and bassist Paul De Lisle served as the only two members to serve as members of the band through Harwell’s departure from the band.

Harwell entered the news cycle again just a few short years ago after a video of the singer went viral in which he appeared visibly disoriented during a performance while slurring his words. He retired from Smash Mouth shortly after the incident, and the band reappeared a year later with a new singer.

“Steve has been dealing with long-term medical issues over the last eight years and during his last performance at the Big Sip stage, he suffered numerous symptoms directly linked with his current medical situation,” Harwell’s rep said in 2021. “As of today, Steve will be retiring from Smash Mouth to focus on his physical and mental health.”

They added, “Despite Steve’s best efforts to work through these ailments, he is heartbroken to share that it has become impossible for him to continue doing what he loves most, performing in front of the band’s millions of fans around the world.”