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Steve Harwell, the former lead singer of the popular 90s rock band, Smash Mouth, best known for their hit song, "All Star," has passed away at the age of 56. Harwell's death was confirmed by the band's manager, Robert Hayes, in a statement to Rolling Stone, who cited liver failure as the reason.
Born in Santa Clara, California in 1967, Harwell commenced his musical career in the mid-90s when he co-founded Smash Mouth with Kevin Coleman, Greg Camp and Paul De Lisle.
The band's unique sound, which fused elements of rock, pop, and ska, quickly earned them a dedicated following.
Smash Mouth's 1997 debut album, "Fush Yu Mang," featured breakout single "Walkin' on the Sun
The song was a commercial success, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, but it was the band's 1999 release, "Astro Lounge," that propelled them to international fame.
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The album featured the hit song "All Star," which earned a Grammy Award nomination and became one of the most recognizable songs of the decade. "All Star" was not just a musical masterpiece, as it also became a cultural phenomenon.
The song was featured in numerous films and TV shows, most notably in the 2001 animated hit "Shrek," which catapulted it to even greater heights. To this day, "All Star" remains one of the most widely recognized and played songs of the 90s, with close to a billion streams on Spotify.
Former Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell left the band recently
Despite the success of "All Star," Steve Harwell remained humble and credited the song's popularity to the unique sound that Smash Mouth had created. "Nobody else could have sung that song," Harwell said in a 2019 interview with Rolling Stone.
"It would have never been what it is now. I could've pitched that song to a million bands, and they would have tried to do it, and it would've never been what it is."
In 2021, Steve Harwell left the band and retired from performing altogether. His final live show was in upstate New York, where he appeared to be heavily intoxicated and used profanity on stage. Earlier that year, he had taken a break from performing due to heart problems.
While Harwell's departure came as a shock to many Smash Mouth fans, the band continued to perform with a rotating lineup, releasing several singles, notably "Underground Sun" this year, with a different lead singer.
Steve Harwell's death is a tragic loss for the music industry and for fans of Smash Mouth. However, his contribution to music will not be forgotten.
His unique voice and Smash Mouth's distinctive sound have left an indelible mark on the 90s music scene, and "All Star" will continue to be an anthem for generations to come.
Steve Harwell was a talented musician who made an irreplaceable impact on the music industry as the lead singer of Smash Mouth.
His untimely passing is a great loss for the music world, but his legacy will continue through his contributions to popular music and the impact of the band's iconic hits like "All Star".
