What killed Smash Mouth’s Steve Harwell? Singer dies after suffering liver failure from years of addiction and drugs

For instance, although chronic alcohol consumption doesn’t directly cause acute liver failure, it “decreases the threshold to develop drug-induced liver injury,” Lucero says. Steve Harwell, the former frontman of the band Smash Mouth, died yesterday at the age of 56. The representative noted that he was struggling with alcohol abuse throughout his life which led to the liver failure. On Sunday, a representative for Smash Mouth told Entertainment Weekly that Harwell had been placed in hospice care at home after suffering liver failure. A source close to Harwell explained to PEOPLE in 2021 that the musician had “suffered profusely” with addiction over the years, which have led to some of his medical and mental health issues. Liver failure, the loss of liver function, is rare and kills approximately 50,000 adults in the US per year.

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People with a history of alcohol use disorder are more likely to develop the condition. “The way we distinguish between the two is largely based on history,” she explains. That means “knowing whether they had a chronic ongoing liver injury or confirming that they’ve never had any liver injury, but now come in with a new situation where their liver’s not working.” In 2016, the rockstar collapsed on stage during a concert performance and had to be rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.

The band is most known for hits like “All Star” and their cover of The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer,” which can be heard in the “Shrek!” soundtrack. “A larger than life character who shot up into the sky like a Roman candle.” If you or a loved one suddenly develops a yellowing of the eyes or skin, tenderness in the abdomen or unusual changes in mental state, seek medical attention right away, the clinic advises. In October 2021, Harwell announced his retirement from the band following a fumbled performance at a beer and wine festival.

Once the liver fails, kidney failure and neurologic dysfunction might follow. “All the organs in the body work together, so if one fails, then you start seeing other organs fail, as well,” Kushner explains. “It’s a cascade of events that pretty rapidly can lead to multi-organ dysfunction, and ultimately, that’s what people pass away from.” “Acute liver failure is probably one of the scariest things in my field,” Dr. Catherine Lucero, assistant professor of clinical medicine and transplant hepatologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, tells TODAY.com.

While some cases of liver failure can be reversed with treatment, other patients may need a liver transplant to survive. There can be multiple causes of acute liver failure, including an overdose of a common medicine. He’d been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy several years ago, according to previous interviews with People. The condition occurs when the heart muscles can’t effectively pump blood to the rest of the body, the Mayo Clinic explains, and it can later lead to heart failure, blood clots and cardiac arrest. Steve Harwell, former lead vocalist of the rock band Smash Mouth, is in hospice care, USA TODAY has learned.

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At the most severe stage, this scarring is called cirrhosis, Kushner explains. “You can still have actually a functioning liver that has a lot of scarring,” she says, but eventually the scarring will likely impact liver function and lead to liver failure. “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,” Harwell said in the news release. The band’s manager, Robert Hayes, said the cause of death was acute liver failure. TMZ reported on Sunday, September 3, that Steve Harwell, who had long been suffering from liver failure, was under hospice care in his home in Boise, Idaho surrounded by family members.

The maestro, who propagated the idea of alternate rock music, retired from the band and performing live in 2021. Additionally, he had been dealing with heart failure, as well as Wernicke encephalopathy, an acute neurological condition that affects the nervous system, according to the National Library of Medicine. If alcohol abuse is a recurring problem for you or someone you love, it may be time to contact a treatment provider. They can help answer your rehab-related questions and discuss available treatment options. Harwell entered hospice care on Sunday and died on Monday, surrounded by his fiancée, friends, and family in his Boise, Idaho home. “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,” Harwell said at the time.

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• The “All Star” singer, who retired from the band two years ago, died peacefully, surrounded by family and friends, Hayes said.
• A source close to Harwell explained to PEOPLE in 2021 that the musician had “suffered profusely” with addiction over the years, which have led to some of his medical and mental health issues.
• Acute liver failure may also cause a person’s breath to have a musty or sweet odor.
• In 2016, the rockstar collapsed on stage during a concert performance and had to be rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.
• Liver failure is when the vital organ is no longer able to carry out its critical functions.

Upon his retirement, the singer said he “dreamed of being a rock star” since he was a kid and thanked his bandmates. Find rehab for yourself or a loved one by speaking with a treatment provider. Harwell also dabbled in acting and television, appearing on VH1’s sixth season of The Surreal Life and having a cameo (along with the rest of the band) in the 2001 film Rat Race. He was also father to son Presley Scott, who died of complications from acute lymphocytic leukemia as an infant in 2001. But many transplant centers will refuse the operation to people who are currently active substance abusers or alcoholics.

Only 25% of patients with cirrhosis receive transplant referrals at safety-net hospitals

Smash Mouth, formed in 1994, rose to fame in the late 1990s with hits such as “Walkin’ on the Sun” and “All Star” and are also widely recognized for their cover of The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer” from the Shrek soundtrack. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. “Steve’s iconic voice is one of the most recognizable voices from his generation. Smash Mouth paid tribute to their former bandmate via an Instagram post shortly after his death. Smash Mouth was formed in 1994 and received commercial success in the ’90s and early aughts with hits like “All Star,” “Walkin’ On the Sun,” and a cover of The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer” that appeared on the “Shrek” soundtrack.

Children of parents with alcohol-related liver disease had up to a more than fourfold increased risk for alcohol-related hospitalization, despite a low absolute risk for developing alcohol-related liver disease. According to Johns Hopkins, taking too much acetaminophen — the pain reliever found in Tylenol and other over-the-counter and prescription products — causes most cases of acute liver failure. Acute liver failure, also known as fulminant hepatic failure, is a rare but life-threatening condition in which the liver loses function. Harwell left Smash Mouth in October 2021 to “focus on his physical and mental health,” his representative told People at the time. If they do receive a transplant and continue to drink, “then their new liver will also fail eventually.”

Among patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in the United States, 20% progressed to cirrhosis within 4 years, with female sex and nonsmoking status linked to lower risk for progression, according to data from the TARGET-NASH trial. Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell died Monday at his home in Boise, Idaho. Harwell later developed Wernicke’s encephalopathy, a sudden brain and memory disorder that’s caused by a lack of vitamin B1, which causes brain damage, the Cleveland Clinic explains.

Steve Harwell, the founding lead singer of the rock band Smash Mouth, has died after struggling with various health issues. “Being exposed to parental alcohol abuse may increase the risk of alcohol abuse disorder for these offspring. In addition, these offspring may also have a genetic susceptibility to develop alcohol-related liver disease if they drink hazardously.” Read more. The ACG has created a new clinical guideline based on existing data and expert opinion to aid clinicians in the diagnosis how did steve harwell get liver failure and management of patients with acute liver failure, with a focus on specific etiologies and disease presentation.

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• Harwell “suffered numerous symptoms” from his medical condition during his performance in 2021, according to his rep.
• “It is important to study the natural history of disease, as this information will help us improve diagnostic and treatment strategies and also help inform public health strategies and guidelines.” Read more.
• In a statement to USA TODAY, Harwell’s reps then revealed that the frontman had been battling health issues for the past eight years stemming from his diagnosis with cardiomyopathy.

While it is not known when exactly his alcohol abuse started, in 2013, the singer was also diagnosed with the neurological condition of Wernicke Encephalopathy, which greatly impacted his memory and speech. Steve Harwell, known for being the lead vocalist of Smash Mouth, has entered hospice care following liver complications. Cardiomyopathy is a heart disease where the heart muscles are not strong enough to pump blood to the rest of the body, which can ultimately result in heart failure. People suffering from cardiomyopathy may present with boating of the abdomen, dizziness, breathlessness, and rapid heartbeat. Excessive, long-term alcohol use is one of the contributing behaviors that can cause this condition. “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,” they wrote.

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“Even though Steve has not been with Smash Mouth for two years now, and the band continues to tour with new vocalist Zach Goode his legacy will live on through the music,” Hayes told PEOPLE on Sunday. Doctors say liver damage can be treated in the early stages — and may even be reversible — by tackling the root cause. This happens because the alcohol is broken down into acetalhyde, which is toxic to the organ. It can also cause fats to accumulate in the liver, triggering inflammation and further damaging cells. Steve Harwell, the ex-frontman for the band Smash Mouth, has died at the age of 56 years old.

During an appearance with the band at The Big Sip in New York, a video of Harwell slurring his speech, cursing at the audience, and making a gesture that resembled a Nazi salute, became viral. Sign up for Entertainment Weekly’s free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at for further information. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. After a disastrous performance at a festival in upstate New York, Harwell had announced in 2021 that he would be retiring from the band.