Eddie Money

Edward Joseph Mahoney (March 21, 1949 – September 13, 2019), known professionally as Eddie Money, was an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who had success in the 1970s and 1980s with a string of Top 40 songs and platinum albums.

Money is well known for songs like "Baby Hold On", "Two Tickets to Paradise", "Think I'm in Love", "Shakin'", "Take Me Home Tonight", "I Wanna Go Back", "Walk on Water", and "The Love in Your Eyes".

Spouse - Laurie Harris (m. 1989), children - 5.

Early years

Edward Joseph Mahoney was born into a large Irish Catholic family in Brooklyn. His parents were Dorothy Elizabeth (née Keller) and Daniel Patrick Mahoney. He grew up on Long Island. Like his grandfather, father, and brother, Money was a member of the New York City Police Department; he left after two years to pursue a career in music.[6] In 1968, Money moved to California.

Music career

After moving to Berkeley, California, Money became a regular at city clubs. He secured a recording contract with Columbia Records. In the late 1970s, he charted with singles such as "Baby Hold On" and "Two Tickets to Paradise". Money continued his successes and took advantage of the MTV music video scene in the early 1980s with his humorous narrative videos for "Think I'm in Love" and "Shakin'". His career began to decline after an unsuccessful album in 1983 and struggles with drug addiction.

Money made a comeback in 1986, and returned to the mainstream rock spotlight with the album Can't Hold Back. "Take Me Home Tonight", a duet with Ronnie Spector, peaked at no. 4 in the United States. "I Wanna Go Back" reached no. 14, and "Endless Nights" peaked at no. 21. Can't Hold Back was certified platinum. Money followed that album with Nothing to Lose (1988). That album featured the Top 10 hit "Walk on Water" (1988) and the Top 40 hit "The Love in Your Eyes" (1989).

From 1992 on Money traditionally opened the summer concert season for DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan. In January 2010, he performed a medley of his hit singles during the halftime performance at the Liberty Bowl.

Money wrote and performed original songs for the films Americathon (1979), Over the Top, Back to the Beach (both 1987), and Kuffs (1992), along with the television series Hardball (1989–1990).

Health issues led Money to cancel his summer tour in July 2019. He had developed pneumonia while recovering from heart valve surgery. While planning to hit the road later that year, he was diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer during what he thought was a "routine checkup". Money died on September 13, 2019.

Television

Money made several television appearances on American sitcoms. He played himself on an episode of the sitcom The King of Queens in May 2002, which also used his name.

In 2012, Money appeared in a GEICO insurance commercial in which he owns a travel agency and sings "Two Tickets to Paradise" to a family that wants tickets for a vacation.

A reality television series about Money and his family, Real Money, debuted on AXS TV on April 8, 2018. An episode sharing his cancer diagnosis aired on the AXS TV network one day before he died. The show's second season is expected to follow Money's "journey as he tells his family about the disease and undergoes treatment."

Personal life

Money married his wife Laurie Harris in 1989. They have five children: Zachary, Jessica, Joseph, Julian, and Desmond. He "made his home" in the Bay Area, performing regularly in San Francisco clubs.

Money joined a 12-step program in 2001. Of his addiction, he said that he came to the realization that he did not need drugs or alcohol for his "quick wit".

Death

On August 24, 2019, Money, a long-time smoker, revealed that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer. He died from complications from heart valve surgery at his home in Los Angeles on September 13, 2019, at age 70. 

The family statement read in part, “It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to our loving husband and father. We cannot imagine our world without him. We are grateful that he will live on forever through his music.”

Discography

Studio albums

• Eddie Money (1977)
• Life for the Taking (1978)
• Playing for Keeps (1980)
• No Control (1982)
• Where's the Party? (1983)
• Can't Hold Back (1986)
• Nothing to Lose (1988)
• Right Here (1991)
• Love and Money (1995)
• Ready Eddie (1999)
• Wanna Go Back (2007)
• Brand New Day (2019)