Smash Mouth’s Steve Harwell in hospice care with only days left to live

Smash Mouth’s Steve Harwell in hospice care with only days left to live

Former Smash Mouth singer Steve Harwell is in hospice care after suffering liver failure, according to multiple reports.

TMZ reports Harwell’s friends and family are saying their goodbyes at his home after he was treated at a hospital for the final stage of liver failure. Harwell’s manager told TMZ he likely only has days to live.

“Steve is resting at home at being cared for by his fiancé and hospice care,” a rep for Harwell told Us Weekly. “We would hope that people would respect Steve and his family’s privacy during this difficult time.”

Harwell, 56, retired in 2021 after a chaotic final performance with Smash Mouth at The Big Sip beer festival in Bethel, N.Y. He blamed health issues, including cardiomyopathy and heart failure; a manager for the pop-rock band told TMZ Harwell also struggled with alcohol abuse.

Harwell was the voice of Smash Mouth hits like “All Star,” “Walking on the Sun” and the “Shrek” soundtrack cover of the Monkees’ “I’m a Believer.” His recent performances in Upstate New York included Taste of Syracuse in 2018 and Oswego Harborfest in 2019.

Harwell, 54, told TMZ that he’s retiring because his health issues have become too much to handle.

“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 said in a statement when he announced his retirement.

Smash Mouth resumed performing last year with a new lead singer, Zach Goode, who was classically trained at Stagedoor Manor in the Catskills. The band recorded a cover of Rick Astley’s “Never Going to Give You Up” with Goode and performed at Kegs Canalside in Jordan, N.Y., this summer.