Update: Harwell has died, according to a post on the band’s official social media account.
Original: Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell has reportedly been in hospice care for the past few days in the final stage of liver failure and is said to have only a few days left to live reports TMZ.
The US rock singer, age 56, has suffered medical problems since at least 2013, when he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and later Wernicke’s encephalopathy.
Harwell’s manager, Robert Hayes, told the publication he had been struggling with alcohol abuse throughout his life. His family and friends have reportedly gathered together over the past three days to say their goodbyes.
Harwell retired from performing in October 2021 following a criticised appearance at a festival in New York. Following his retirement, Harwell issued a statement to fans at the time, saying:
“Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of being a rock star performing in front of sold-out arenas and have been so fortunate to live out that dream. To my bandmates, it’s been an honour performing with you all these years, and I can’t think of anyone else I would have rather gone on this wild journey with.”
Smash Mouth contributed some of the biggest pop culture hits in the early 2000s with their songs like “All Star,” “Walkin’ on the Sun,” “Rat Race,” “I’m a Believer” and “Why Can’t We Be Friends” central to the sound of the “Shrek” film franchise along with contributing to other movies like “Mystery Men,” “Wild Things,,” “Rat Race” and “Inspector Gadget”.
