Steve Harwell, born Steven Scott Harwell on January 9, 1967, in Santa Clara, California, USA, is a renowned American musician, best known as the lead vocalist and keyboardist of the rock band Smash Mouth. The band's formation in 1994 marked the beginning of a successful music career, with their debut album Fush Yu Mang released in 1997. The album's hit singles, "Walkin' on the Sun" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?", a remake of the classic song by the group War, catapulted the band to fame.
In 1999, Smash Mouth released their second album, Astro Lounge, which featured the hit singles "All Star" and "Then the Morning Comes". These songs topped the Billboard charts, solidifying the band's position in the music industry. Steve Harwell's versatility as a musician was showcased in his cameo appearance in the 2001 American comedy film Rat Race.
The same year, Smash Mouth released their third album, which included a remake of the Monkees' classic hit "I'm a Believer". However, the album was delayed due to the tragic loss of Steve Harwell's son, Presley Scott Harwell, who passed away in 2001. Despite this personal setback, Harwell continued to create music, releasing the song "Getting Better" for the 2003 film The Cat in the Hat and the credit song "I Wanna Be Like You" for the Disney movie The Jungle Book 2.
In addition to his work with Smash Mouth, Harwell has also composed music for various films and television shows. In 2013, he contributed two songs, "Beside Myself" and "Everything Just Crazy", to the South Korean cartoon film Pororo, the Racing Adventure. Harwell's music career was marked by a live concert tour in 2016, during which he collapsed on stage and was rushed to the hospital. After recovering, he continued to tour and perform until his final concert on May 27, 2023, at the Orem Utah Scera Shell.
Sadly, Steve Harwell passed away on September 4, 2023, at the age of 56, due to complications from liver failure. Throughout his career, Harwell has left an indelible mark on the music industry, and his legacy will continue to inspire and entertain fans for generations to come.
