Eddie Money facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eddie Money
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Money in 2013
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| Born |
Edward Joseph Mahoney
March 21, 1949 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | September 13, 2019 (aged 70) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Years active | 1974–2019 |
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Margo Lee Walker
(m. 1984)Laurie Harris
(m. 1989) |
| Children | 5 |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | Berkeley, California |
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Edward Joseph Mahoney (March 21, 1949 – September 13, 2019), known as Eddie Money, was a famous American singer and songwriter. He became very popular in the 1970s and 1980s. Eddie Money had many hit songs that made it into the Top 40 charts. Some of his most well-known songs include "Baby Hold On", "Two Tickets to Paradise", and "Take Me Home Tonight". He was known for his rock music style. In 1987, he was even nominated for a Grammy Award for his song "Take Me Home Tonight".
Contents
Early Life and Music Dreams
Growing Up in New York
Edward Joseph Mahoney was born in Manhattan, New York City, on March 21, 1949. He came from a big family with Irish roots. His dad was a police officer, and his mom stayed home to take care of the family. Eddie grew up in Levittown, New York. He also spent some of his teenage years in Woodhaven, Queens.
Eddie loved music from a young age. He started singing on the streets when he was just eleven. As a teenager, he played in rock bands. He even got kicked out of one high school for changing his report card grades. In 1967, he finished high school at Island Trees High School.
Choosing Music Over Police Work
When he was 18, Eddie thought about becoming a police officer. His grandfather, father, and brother were all police officers. But after working as a clerk for a short time, he decided to follow his dream of music in 1968. The police department did not allow long hair, and Eddie wanted to keep his. He later said he couldn't see himself in a police uniform for 20 years. His bandmates also didn't want a police officer in their group. His father was not happy with his choice and even tore down his Jimi Hendrix posters.
In 1968, Eddie moved to Berkeley, California. There, he worked with a vocal coach named Judy Davis. He changed his name to Eddie Money. He dropped some letters from his last name and joked about always being broke. Some people even called him "Eddie no money."
Eddie Money's Music Career
Getting Started and First Hits
Eddie Money became a popular performer in clubs around the San Francisco Bay Area. A famous music promoter named Bill Graham noticed him. This helped Eddie get a record deal with Columbia Records. He released his first album in 1977. Soon, his songs "Baby Hold On" and "Two Tickets to Paradise" became big hits. "Two Tickets to Paradise" was about wanting to visit his girlfriend, even if he didn't have much money.
In 1978, Eddie Money opened concerts for the band Santana. The next year, he sang backup vocals on a song called "I'm Alright" by Kenny Loggins.
Music Videos and Comeback Success
In the early 1980s, music videos became very popular on MTV. Eddie Money used this to his advantage. He made funny music videos for his songs "Think I'm in Love" and "Shakin'". He also appeared on popular TV music shows like The Midnight Special and American Bandstand.
After a less successful album in 1983, Eddie Money made a big comeback in 1986. His album Can't Hold Back sold over a million copies. The song "Take Me Home Tonight" from this album became a huge hit. It reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Eddie agreed to sing the song only if Ronnie Spector (from The Ronettes) sang a special line in it. In 1987, he was nominated for a Grammy Award for this song. Other songs from the album, "I Wanna Go Back" and "Endless Nights," also did very well.
In 1988, Eddie released another album called Nothing to Lose. This album had two more hits: "Walk on Water" and "The Love in Your Eyes".
Later Career Highlights
Starting in 1992, Eddie Money became a tradition at the Pine Knob Music Theater in Michigan. He opened the summer concert season there for 27 years in a row. In 1996, he even wrote the theme song for a Disney cartoon called Quack Pack.
In 2008, Eddie Money was honored by being added to the Long Island Music Hall of Fame. In 2010, he performed a mix of his hit songs at the Liberty Bowl halftime show.
Eddie Money also wrote and performed original songs for several movies. These included Americathon (1979), Over the Top, Back to the Beach (both 1987), and Kuffs (1992). He also wrote music for the TV series Hardball.
After Eddie Money passed away, many fans listened to his music. His song "Take Me Home Tonight" was streamed over 3.1 million times in just three days. This showed how much people loved his music.
Eddie Money in TV and Film
Eddie Money appeared on screen many times.
In 1997, he was in a documentary film called Wonderland. It was about Levittown, New York, where he went to high school. In the film, he joked that if he had "two tickets to paradise," he would probably go back to Levittown.
He also played a fun version of himself on TV shows. In 1999, he was on The Drew Carey Show. In 2002, he appeared on The King of Queens.
In 2012, Eddie Money was in a GEICO insurance commercial. He played a travel agent who sang "Two Tickets to Paradise" to a family planning a vacation.
In 2018, Eddie Money was in an episode of The Kominsky Method. He played a fictional version of himself who had to perform as a tribute act to avoid tax problems.
On April 8, 2018, a reality television show called Real Money started on AXS TV. This show was about Eddie Money and his family. An episode about his cancer diagnosis aired the day before he died.
Personal Life and Health
In 1980, Eddie Money had a health issue with a nerve in his left leg. He couldn't walk for several months and had a slight limp after that.
Eddie Money married Margo Lee Walker in 1984. They tried to keep their wedding private, but many teenage fans showed up. He later married Laurie Harris in 1989. They had five children together: Zachary, Jessica, Joseph, Julian, and Desmond. They were married for 30 years and renewed their wedding vows just three months before he passed away.
In March 2000, Eddie Money bought a home in Westlake Village, California, where he lived with his family. He also had a home in Florida for a while, where he enjoyed golf, fishing, and surfing.
Eddie Money had been a cigarette smoker for many years. In July 2019, he had heart surgery. After the surgery, he developed pneumonia. On August 24, 2019, he shared that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer. Eddie Money passed away from complications related to his cancer on September 13, 2019, at the age of 70.
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)
Images for kids
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Money in 2013
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Money (center) with others in 1990
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Money performing in Florida
See also
In Spanish: Eddie Money para niños
