Hey now, Steve Harwell is still the lead singer of Smash Mouth.
Fans who attended the “All Star” group’s recent concerts were surprised to see Harwell absent from behind the mic and replaced by a new vocalist, leading to speculation that the founding frontman was no longer in the band. However, a rep for Smash Mouth tells TMZ that isn’t the case.
The rep explains that Harwell took a brief leave of absence from Smash Mouth due to his ongoing cardiomyopathy heart condition, which he’s had since 2015. Issues with his heart previously landed Harwell in the hospital in 2017.
The unidentified fill-in singer, who is only described as “someone the band knows,” was recruited to handle vocal duties in place of Harwell on merely a temporary basis, the rep adds. Harwell is set to return to the stage with Smash Mouth this Thursday in Jackson, Mississippi.
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