Eddie Money Has Died at Age 70 [Update]
Update: Eddie Money's death last week resulted from complications associated with a heart valve procedure he underwent months prior, according to TMZ. In the days following his passing, tributes to the icon came from Kid Rock (via The Detroit News), Jason Bonham (with a dedication of "Stairway to Heaven") and more.
Seasoned rocker Eddie Money has died at age 70.
The musician's family confirmed his passing earlier this morning in a statement to Variety. “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.”
Money revealed his stage 4 esophageal cancer diagnosis just last month. He was diagnosed during the filming of the second season of the AXS-TV reality show surrounding his family, Real Money. His wife Laurie shared that it had also spread to his stomach and his liver.
Many of Money's hits were '70s and '80s essentials, including "Two Tickets to Paradise," "Shakin'," "Baby Hold On" and "Take Me Home Tonight."
In a Real Money episode where he spoke about the diagnosis, Money admitted the diagnosis hit him hard, but still carried an optimistic perspective. "Am I going to live a long time? Who knows? It’s in God’s hands. But you know what? I’ll take every day I can get. Every day above ground is a good day.”
Just last year, Ace Frehley covered Money's '80s hit "I Wanna Go Back," telling us, I've been an Eddie Money fan since "Two Tickets to Paradise." Ironically, when Eddie Money first came out, I went down to Manhattan at this club I hanged out at and unbeknownst to me Eddie Money was performing. His first album had just come out and he was playing little clubs, and I loved him. I thought he was great. I liked the style and the way he looked and I was with this chick and she goes, "Hey, he's cute." Jimmy Lyons, his lead guitar player, was a great guitar player, and the song structures were good. So I picked up the album, fell in love with it and played it a lot, so I've been a fan of Eddie Money's since his first record, and then he made his comeback with that album that had "I Wanna Go Back."
Money was also a close family friend with the late Ronnie James Dio and had appeared at multiple Ride for Ronnie concerts in recent years.
Rest in peace, Eddie.
Rockers We’ve Lost in 2019