A publicist for Eddie Money said the rock star has died after he recently announced he had stage 4 esophageal cancer. He was 70.

Cindy Ronzoni provided a statement from the family and said Money died Friday morning in Los Angeles.

The husky-voiced, blue collar performer was known for such hits as B次元官网网址淭wo Tickets to ParadiseB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淭ake Me Home Tonight.B次元官网网址� In 1987, he received a best rock vocal Grammy nomination for B次元官网网址淭ake Me Home Tonight,B次元官网网址� which featured a cameo from Ronnie Spector.

B次元官网网址淚t is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to our loving husband and father,B次元官网网址� the statement said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 so hard to imagine our world without him, however he will live on forever through his music.B次元官网网址�

He announced his cancer diagnosis via a video last month from his AXS TV reality series B次元官网网址淩eal Money.B次元官网网址� In the video, Money says he discovered he had cancer after what he thought was a routine checkup. He said the disease had spread to his liver and lymph nodes.

Money said it hit him B次元官网网址渞eally, really hard.B次元官网网址�

He had numerous health problems recently, including heart valve surgery earlier this year and pneumonia after the procedure, leading to his cancellation of a planned summer tour.

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A New York City native born Edward Joseph Mahoney, Money grew up in a family of police officers and was training in law enforcement himself before he rebelled and decided heB次元官网网址檇 rather be a singer.

B次元官网网址淚 grew up with respect for the idea of preserving law and order, and then all of a sudden cops became pigs and it broke my heart,B次元官网网址� Money told Rolling Stone in 1978.

B次元官网网址淭wo Tickets to ParadiseB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淏aby Hold OnB次元官网网址� both reached the top 30 in the late 1970s and his self-titled debut album went platinum. In 1987, he received a best rock vocal Grammy nomination for B次元官网网址淭ake Me Home Tonight.B次元官网网址� The song featured a cameo from Ronnie Spector, who reprised one of her signature hits from the 1960s as she crooned B次元官网网址淏e my little baby,B次元官网网址� which she first sang on the RonettesB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淏e My Baby.B次元官网网址� Money remembered calling Spector, still traumatized from her years with ex-husband-producer Phil Spector, and convincing her to sing on his record.

B次元官网网址淚 said, B次元官网网址楻onnie, I got this song thatB次元官网网址檚 truly amazing and itB次元官网网址檚 a tribute to you. It would be so great if you came out and did it with me,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� he told hippopress.com in 2015. B次元官网网址淲hen she got there, she didnB次元官网网址檛 even remember it; she had a mental block against (Phil) Spector. But then she came out and did the song.B次元官网网址�

MoneyB次元官网网址檚 other hits included B次元官网网址淢aybe IB次元官网网址檓 a Fool,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址漌alk On WaterB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淭hink IB次元官网网址檓 in Love.B次元官网网址� He had few successes after the 1980s, but he continued to tour and record, and for decades would open the summer concert season at DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan. Meanwhile, B次元官网网址淭wo Tickets to ParadiseB次元官网网址� became a favourite on classic rock radio stations and was heard everywhere from B次元官网网址淭he SimpsonsB次元官网网址� to B次元官网网址淭he Office.B次元官网网址� The song was also featured in a Geico commercial, with Money himself appearing in the ad as the hammy owner of a travel agency.

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For years, he lived too much like a rock star. In 1980, he sustained nerve damage in his legs after overdosing on alcohol and barbiturates, a near-tragedy he wrote about on his hit 1982 album B次元官网网址淣o Control.B次元官网网址� He continued to struggle with alcohol addiction before joining a 12-step program in 2001. B次元官网网址淚 came to the realization that I didnB次元官网网址檛 really need (alcohol) for my quick wit,B次元官网网址� he told CNN in 2003.

Money did manage the rare rock achievement of a long-term marriage, more than 30 years to Laurie Harris, who would say that at first she confused him with John Mellencamp. The Moneys had five children, Zachary, Jessica, Joseph, Desmond, and Julian.

A born troublemaker, he was thrown out of one high school for forging his report card. He later moved to Berkeley, California, changed his name to B次元官网网址淢oneyB次元官网网址� and had enough success in the Bay Area clubs, even performing for a time with Janis JoplinB次元官网网址檚 former backing group, to attract the attention of famed rock promoter Bill Graham. Money was signed by Columbia Records and by the end of the decade was a big enough act to open for the Rolling Stones, although the job didnB次元官网网址檛 last as long as expected.

B次元官网网址淚 had a hit with B次元官网网址楾wo TicketsB次元官网网址� and everybody loved me; I was getting too many encores,B次元官网网址� Money told hippopress.com. B次元官网网址淲e were supposed to have six dates (with the Stones), and we only worked four. The way I see it is this B次元官网网址� if youB次元官网网址檙e gonna get fired from a Rolling Stones tour, get fired for being too good.B次元官网网址�

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This story has been corrected to say that Eddie Money has died.

Kristin M. Hall, The Associated Press

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