Singer-songwriter Eddie Money dead at 70

Singer-songwriter Eddie Money has died at the age of 70.

The news was confirmed by in a statement by his family. It read: "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 last month that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer, breaking the news on his AXS TV Show Real Money.

"I thought I was going in for a check-up and [the doctor] told me I have cancer,” Money said. “We found out that I had cancer and that it was stage 4 and that it was in my liver and my lymph nodes and a little bit in my stomach… It hit me really, really hard.” 

Money was born in Brooklyn, New York, and spent two years working with the NYPD before moving to California to pursue a career in music. Famed music promoter Bill Graham became his manager, and after two hits in the late 1970s - Baby Hold On and Two Tickets to Paradise - Money found further success during the formative years of MTV, with songs like Take Me Home Tonight (a duet with Ronnie Spector) and I Wanna Go Back.

Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid paid tribute, saying "Rock & Roll People are feeling a pang upon hearing of the death of Eddie Money, because he really was that “Everyman” that much more famous and rich singers and musicians pretend to be, or sing about. He was That Guy you went to Highschool with who actually did it. Lost it. Kept on." 

Michael Des Barres wrote: "Eddie Money was a great rock ‘n’ roll singer. Catskills funny and a cool cat persona. Irreverent and reverential about rock ‘n’ roll. One ticket to paradise. He will be missed. Much love to his family and friends. RIP."