Eddie Money - two tickets to paradise, dies at 70

Eddie Money, Two Tickets to Paradise singer, dies at 70.

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.Initially, he attempted to follow in the footsteps of his police officer grandfather, father, and brother as a New York City Police Department trainee; however, he left to pursue a career in music. In 1968, Money moved to California.

Music career

Money, center, in 1990

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. Money was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal for "Take Me Home Tonight". "I Wanna Go Back" and "Endless Nights"--two other singles from the same album--peaked at no. 14 and no. 21, respectively. 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).

Beginning in 1992, 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).

Money is survived by his wife Laurie and five children, daughter Jesse Money, and sons Zachary, Joseph, Desmond and Julian.

Said Mark Cuban, founder of AXS TV: “We are deeply saddened that we have lost the incomparable Eddie Money. Eddie was a true American original and a rock legend through and through. His enduring hits have been the soundtrack for generations of fans, and his one-of-a-kind sense of humor endeared him instantly to everyone he met. We have sincerely enjoyed working with him and his entire talented family on his reality show ‘Real Money’, and we extend our deepest condolences to his wife, Laurie; their children Zach, Jesse, Joe, Dez and Julian; and his many friends during this difficult time. He will be missed immensely by all of those who knew and loved him. But, if we know Eddie, he’s rocking right now in heaven, doing what he always loved.”

Donations on behalf of Eddie Money can made to the Eddie Money Cancer Research Fund at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. Find more information here.