Smash Mouth frontman Steve Harwell has died aged 56

4 September 2023, 19:08

The singer - best known for the hits Walkin' On The Sun and All Star - had been diagnosed with liver failure and was under the care of a hospice.

Smash Mouth frontman Steve Harwell has died, aged 56.

The musician, best known for the hits Walkin' On The Sun and All Star, had been reported to have suffered from liver failur and died at home in Boise, Idaho. Harwell had battled alcohol addiction over the years and had retired from performing in 2021.

In a statement, Harwell's manager Robert Hayes said that Harwell had "one of the most recognizable voices from his generation".

He went on: "He loved the fans and loved to perform. Steve Harwell was a true American Original. A larger than life character who shot up into the sky like a Roman candle.

"Steve should be remembered for his unwavering focus and impassioned determination to reach the heights of pop stardom. And the fact that he achieved this near-impossible goal with very limited musical experience makes his accomplishments all the more remarkable.

"His only tools were his irrepressible charm and charisma, his fearlessly reckless ambition, and his king-size cajones. Steve lived a 100 percent full-throttle life. Burning brightly across the universe before burning out."

The singer retired from the band in October 2021 due to poor health, including the heart condition cardiomyopathy.

His spokesperson said at the time: "Despite Steve's best efforts to work through these ailments, he is heartbroken to share that it has become impossible for him to continue doing what he loves most, performing in front of the band's millions of fans around the world."

Smash Mouth - All Star (Official Music Video)

Hawell said in a statement: "I’ve tried so hard to power through my physical and mental health issues and to play in front of you one last time, but I just wasn’t able to.”

Formed in San Jose, California in 1994, the band's debut single Walkin' On The Sun broke the UK Top 20 in October 1997. Their second album, Astor Lounge, followed in June 1999 and spawned the hit All Star. The band's cover of the Monkees' classic I'm A Believer featured in the 2001 movie Shrek.

Harwell and bassist Paul De Lisle were the only two constant members of the band until he quit.

Before Smash Mouth, Steve was a rapper in F.O.S. (Freedom Of Speech) and he was also a cast member in the sixth season of the VH1 reality show The Surreal Life in 2006.

Smash Mouth - Walkin' On The Sun (Official Music Video)