Steve Harwell, the original lead singer for the beloved 1990s and early 2000s rock band Smash Mouth, is reportedly on his deathbed and only has days to live.
A rep for the 56-year-old Harwell told The Hollywood Reporter (THR) that the singer has entered hospice care and has been “resting at home and being cared for by his fiancé.”
“Although Steve is here with us still, sadly it will only be for a short time,” the rep told THR.
TMZ noted that Harwell has entered the final stages of liver failure after years of struggling with alcohol abuse.
A manager for the Smash Mouth lead singer tells us Steve has been struggling with alcohol abuse throughout his life — and now, he’s reached the final stage of liver failure … for which he’d, up until recently, been receiving treatment at a hospital.
At this point, we’re told SH is in hospice at home … where his friends and loved ones have gathered over the past 3 days. Steve’s manager says he likely has only a week or so to live.
Harwell had been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy in 2013, which led to acute Wernicke encephalopathy. He retired from Smash Mouth in 2021 after a severe episode in which he was seen slurring his words and yelling at the audience during a live performance in New York.
“Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of being a Rockstar performing in front of sold-out arenas and have been so fortunate to live out that dream. To my bandmates, it’s been an honor performing with you all these years and I can’t think of anyone else I would have rather gone on this wild journey with,” Harwell told TMZ at the time.
In response to news of his impending death, the band Smash Mouth, which replaced Steve with Zach Goode as lead vocalist, said that his legacy will live on through their many beloved songs.
“Even though Steve has not been with Smash Mouth for two years now, and the band continues to tour with new vocalist Zach Goode, his legacy will live on through the music,” the group’s rep told THR.
With Harwell at the helm, Smash Mouth sold over 10 million albums worldwide and produced a string of pop-cultural sensations, from “Walkin’ on the Sun” to “Can’t Get Enough of You Baby” to “All Star.” The hit animated Shrek film franchise also helped to popularize the band’s cover song for the Monkees’ “I’m a Believer.”
“Steve’s iconic voice is one of the most recognizable voices from his generation,” Harwell’s rep told THR. “Steve loved the fans and loved to perform.”