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Eddie Money death: American singer-songwriter dies, aged 70

The singer previously said his unexpected stage-four cancer diagnosis hit him 'really, really hard'

Clémence Michallon
New York
Friday 13 September 2019 16:46 BST
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Eddie Money at the Kabuki Theatre in 1982

Singer Eddie Money, whose hit songs included “Two Tickets to Paradise” and “Baby Hold On,” has died at the age of 70.

The singer passed away on Friday, Variety reported citing a statement from his family.

“The Money family regrets to announce that Eddie passed away peacefully early this morning,” the statement reads.

“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.”

Money had recently been diagnosed with stage four esophageal cancer.

He had announced the diagnosis in August on his reality TV show Real Money, stating: “I thought I was going in for a check-up and [the doctor] told me that I’ve got cancer.”

Money added: “When we found out that I had cancer and that it was stage four and that it was in my liver and my lymph nodes and a little bit in my stomach… It hit me really, really hard.”

Born on 21 March, 1949 in Brooklyn, New York, Money briefly worked as a police officer before moving to California to start his music career.

He eventually signed with Columbia Records, releasing 11 albums between 1977 and 2007. He was especially prolific in the Seventies and Eighties, during which he cemented his legacy in the pop-rock sphere.

His self-titled debut album includes two of his biggest hits, “Baby Hold On” and “Two Tickets to Paradise”.

“Take Me Home Tonight”, a 1986 duet with Ronnie Spector, earned Money a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance.

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Money, who is survived by his wife and five children, was also known for his humour and self-deprecating manner.

In an interview with Rolling Stone last year, he said he wouldn’t retire before becoming wealthy enough – something he didn’t see happening in the near future.

“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,” he told the magazine.

“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.”

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Real Money, a reality series about the musician and his family, debuted last year on AXS TV, the cable and satellite network.

In May this year, he had unveiled a new song called “Brand New Day”.

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