Eddie Money, the singer best known for hits like “Two Tickets to Paradise” and “Take Me Home Tonight,” died today at the age of 70.

The musician’s family confirmed his death this morning in a statement provided to Variety."It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to our loving husband and father," the message reads in part. "We cannot imagine our world without him. We are grateful that he will live on forever through his music.”

Money had been battling Stage 4 esophageal cancer that had spread to his stomach and liver, a diagnosis he publicly revealed last month.

The Brooklyn-born Edward Joseph Mahoney moved to the Bay Area in 1968 and changed his name while pursuing a career as a musician. While in San Francisco, he met influential concert promoter Bill Graham, who helped the fledgling artist earn a contract with Columbia Records.

His 1978 self-titled debut would sell more than 2 million copies, buoyed by the hit singles "Baby Hold On" and "Two Tickets to Paradise." Over the next decade, he had hits like "Take Me Home Tonight" and "I Wanna Go Back."

As news of Money’s death began to spread this morning, various rockers began sharing their thoughts and memories of the late musician throughout the day.

REO Speedwagon frontman Kevin Cronin, for one, recalled a recent encounter with the singer: “When I called Eddie Money to join us in Thousand Oaks for a benefit show earlier this year, he immediately came on board. Eddie’s presence made any room he entered a happier place. He shared back then that he had been fighting cancer, and winning. But he also said he wasn’t completely out of the woods. His spirits were good, and he was joking, as always. I am sick with the news of his passing. Just too sad. Our condolences go out to his wife Laurie who was always by his side, and his children whom Eddie loved so dearly. REO will be adding 'Two Tickets to Paradise,' the song we played with Eddie so many times over the years of touring together, to our set at the Kaboo Festival tonight.”

Other artists -- like Paul Stanley, Slash, Foreigner and Dee Snider -- shared their thoughts on Twitter. Below is a selection of them.

 

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