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Steve Harwell

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Steve Harwell
Harwell performing with Smash Mouth in 2013
Harwell performing with Smash Mouth in 2013
Background information
Birth nameSteven Scott Harwell
Born(1967-01-09)January 9, 1967
Santa Clara, California, U.S.
OriginSan Jose, California, U.S.
DiedSeptember 4, 2023(2023-09-04) (aged 56)
Boise, Idaho, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • musician
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • keyboards
Years active1988–2021
Formerly ofSmash Mouth

Steven Scott Harwell (January 9, 1967 – September 4, 2023) was an American singer. Harwell served as the lead vocalist and frontman for the rock band Smash Mouth from its founding in 1994 until his retirement in 2021.[1][2][3][4] Before leaving the band, he and bassist Paul De Lisle were its only two constant members. Harwell died in 2023 from acute liver failure.

Career

Greg Camp formed Smash Mouth with Harwell, Kevin Coleman, and Paul De Lisle. Harwell was previously a rapper in F.O.S.[5] (Freedom of Speech).[6] They first achieved success for their 1997 song "Walkin’ on the Sun".[7] Harwell was a featured cast member in the sixth season of the VH1 reality show The Surreal Life in 2006.[8] He has appeared on other television and radio shows, as well as making a cameo in the 2001 film Rat Race.

Harwell also performed two songs, "Beside Myself" and "Everything Just Crazy", for the 2013 South Korean-Chinese animated film Pororo, The Racing Adventure. During a performance with Smash Mouth in Urbana, Illinois, on August 27, 2016, Harwell collapsed on stage and was taken by ambulance to a hospital. The band completed the concert without him, with Paul De Lisle taking over on vocals.[9]

In October 2021, the band performed at a beer and wine festival at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, New York, where Harwell appeared to be intoxicated, threatening audience members and performing what looked like a Nazi salute.[10][11] Following the performance, Harwell announced his retirement due to ongoing health issues.[12][13]

Personal life

Harwell had a son named Presley who died in July 2001 from acute lymphocytic leukemia at the age of six months; subsequently, Harwell created a medical research fund in Presley's name.[14]

Illness and death

Throughout his life, Harwell struggled with alcoholism.[15] In 2013, he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and Wernicke encephalopathy, which can cause heart failure and affect motor functions such as speech and memory. He was hospitalized in 2017 as a result of his cardiomyopathy, leading to the cancellation of a show.[16] Harwell implied he retired because these problems hindered his ability to perform well.[17]

Harwell died at his home in Boise, Idaho, on September 4, 2023,[18] one day after he was reported to have entered hospice care for final stage chronic liver failure.[19][20] He was 56 years old. In tribute, the band's manager, Robert Hayes, said "Steve lived a 100% full-throttle life. Burning brightly across the universe before burning out".[21]

References

  1. ^ "Steve Harwell". AllMusic. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  2. ^ "Steve Harwell". BuddyTV. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  3. ^ "Steve Harwell". BBC. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  4. ^ "Interview with Steve Harwell". Nyrock.com. November 1997. Archived from the original on December 27, 2014.
  5. ^ "Q&A: Steve Harwell On 20 Years Of Smash Mouth And Coming To Terms With All Those "All Star" Memes". Stereogum. July 7, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  6. ^ Legaspi, Althea (September 4, 2023). "Steve Harwell, Smash Mouth Founding Singer, Dead at 56". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 4, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  7. ^ Moses, Claire; Sisario, Ben (September 4, 2023). "Steve Harwell, Former Smash Mouth Lead Singer, Dies at 56". The New York Times.
  8. ^ Wilkes, Neil (September 21, 2005). "New 'Surreal Life' cast named". Digital Spy. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
  9. ^ Helman, Peter (August 28, 2016). "Smash Mouth Singer Leaves Stage In An Ambulance, Band Plays "All Star" Without Him". Stereogum. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  10. ^ Barton, Monika (October 12, 2021). "Smash Mouth singer accused of doing Nazi salute in shocking footage from 'chaotic' gig". Newshub.
  11. ^ Brown, August (October 11, 2021). "Smash Mouth singer slurs words, curses fans at 'chaotic' live show". Los Angeles Times.
  12. ^ Aswad, Jem (October 12, 2021). "Smash Mouth Singer Steve Harwell Retires After Disoriented New York Concert". Variety. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  13. ^ "Smash Mouth singer Steve Harwell retires after disoriented New York concert". NBC News. October 12, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  14. ^ Slaughter, Adele (July 22, 2002). "Smash Mouth fights childhood leukemia". USA Today. Archived from the original on September 12, 2005. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  15. ^ "Smash Mouth frontman Steve Harwell dies at 56". BBC News. September 4, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  16. ^ Smash Mouth's Steve Harwell Rushed to Hospital, Band Cancels Concert KTVB
  17. ^ Kaufman, Gil (October 12, 2021). "Smash Mouth Singer Steve Harwell Retires, Citing Ongoing Health Issues". Billboard. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  18. ^ "Steve Harwell, Smash Mouth Founding Singer, Dead at 56". Rolling Stone. September 4, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  19. ^ Chasan, Aliza (September 3, 2023). "Smash Mouth frontman Steve Harwell in hospice care, representative says". CBS News. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  20. ^ Zhan, Jennifer (September 3, 2023). "Steve Harwell Is Reportedly in Hospice Care for Liver Failure". New York Magazine. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  21. ^ "Smash Mouth frontman Steve Harwell dies at 56". BBC News. September 4, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
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