Smash Mouth front man Steve Harwell gravely ill, TMZ reports

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After years of battling health problems, loved ones of longtime front man for the rock band Smash Mouth, Steve Harwell, are saying their farewells to the singer, who is currently in hospice care at his home, TMZ reported.  

Harwell’s manager told TMZ that the 56-year-old singer has suffered from alcohol abuse for much of his life and that he’s reached the final stages of liver failure, which he had recently been receiving treatment for. 

“…[H]e likely only has a week or so to live,” his manager told TMZ.  

The California based Smash Mouth formed in the 1990s and had several hits in the early 2000s, including “All Star,” “Walkin on the Sun,” and a cover of “I’m a Believer.” Both “All Star” and “I’m a Believer” were featured on the soundtrack of the movie “Shrek.”  

Steve Harwell and Smash Mouth during Opening of All Star Cafe ’98 at All Star Cafe in San Diego, California, United States. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)

The sad news about Harwell’s health comes after reports of the singer being disoriented on stage during a live performance two years ago where, according to TMZ, he was yelling at the audience and slurring his words.  

At the time, sources told the tabloid outlet that Harwell had been diagnosed with several serious medical conditions, including heart failure, cardiomyopathy and Wernicke’s encephalopathy, all of which were complicated by substance abuse issues.  

Harwell retired from the band in 2021.