Birth Name

 Edward Joseph Mahoney

  Also Known As

 Eddie Money

  Born

  March 21, 1949   Brooklyn, New York, USA

  Genre

  Rock, pop, hard rock

  Occupation

  Singer-songwriter, musician

  Instruments

  Vocals, saxophone, harmonica, keyboards

  Years Active

  1970s - present

  Labels

  Columbia, CMC International, Big Deal/Warrior

  Website

  www.eddiemoney.com

Initially, Eddie Mahoney was going to follow in his father's footsteps and become a Brooklyn cop. He attended the New York Police Academy during the early '70s, but at night, he sang in rock & roll bands under the name Eddie Money. After a few years, he decided to pursue rock & roll as a career and quit the academy, moving to Berkeley, CA. Money became a regular at Bay Area clubs, where he eventually got the attention of legendary promoter Bill Graham, who signed the singer to his management company. Graham also secured him a contract with Columbia Records, and Money released his eponymous debut in 1977.

During the late '70s, Eddie Money had a handful of album rock hits and wound up crossing over into the Top 40 with songs like "Baby Hold On" and "Maybe I'm a Fool." During the early '80s, Money began to make funny narrative videos, which became staples on early MTV and made "Shakin'" and "Think I'm in Love" hits. His career hit a slump during the mid-'80s as he struggled with various drug addictions, but he made a comeback in 1986 with Can't Hold Back. Featuring the hit duet with Ronnie Spector "Take Me Home Tonight," as well as the Top 20 "I Wanna Go Back," the album became a Top Ten smash, re-establishing Money as a successful blue-collar rocker. Money followed the album in 1988 with Nothing to Lose, which featured the Top Ten "Walk on Water." Two years later, "Peace in Our Time," taken from the 1989 Greatest Hits: Sound of Money, reached number 11.

"Peace in Our Time" proved to be Money's last big hit. During the early '90s, his audience slowly faded away. Columbia dropped him in the mid-'90s, and he spent the remainder of the decade touring the oldies circuit. He returned with a new album, Ready Eddie, in 1999.

*Reference Allmusic & Wikipedia