We lost singer Eddie Money this morning. He was just 70 and succumbed to Esophageal cancer.
Edward Mohoney was born March 21, 1949 into a large Catholic family. His father, grandfather and brother were member of the New York City Police Department. After graduating high school in 1967 Eddie was looking putting on the uniform and enrolled as an NYPD trainee. After writing a report using police stationary supporting the use of pot, Eddie was released and made his way to the San Francisco area.
By 1968 Eddie was a regular at the city clubs performing and found himself being managed by the legendary promoter Bill Graham. He spent almost ten years in the rock trenches honing his performing and songwriting craft and was signed to Columbia Records and released his first self-titled album Eddie Money in 1978. That album would sell over two million copies and give us the hits “Baby Hold On” and “Two Tickets To Paradise”.In 1981 Eddie had the distinction of being the first rocker to overdose on fentanyl and by 1983 his career began was in decline as a result of struggles with drug addiction.
In 1986 he returned to the spotlight with the album “Can’t Hold Back” featuring the hit “Take Me Home Tonight”, a duet with Ronnie Spector and “Shakin”. His last album of original material was released in 1999.
Eddie spent the last 20 years touring non-stop and his band became a family affair with his two sons on drums and guitar and his daughter helping out on vocals.
In Rolling Stone Magazinehe was quoted as saying: “I’m gonna stop when I’m rich, and I don’t think that’s ever gonna happen. For some reason, I missed the boat when it comes to the big money. I don’t know what happened, you know? I’m not really getting rich out here. But I look at it like this: The kids aren’t in jail, they’re not in rehab, nobody’s wrecked the car this week and there’s still milk in the refrigerator. I’m having a good month.”
After suffering many health issues over the years, it was in a promo for his reality show “Real Money” that Eddie announced he had stage 4 cancer. His family’s statement read, “The Money Family regrets to announce that Eddie passed away peacefully early this morning. 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.”
Eddie is now safely in Paradise.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Mohoney family.
Listen to my conversation with Eddie's friend Kim Bullard below then have a listen to some of the great songs Eddie has left us!