Singer Eddie Money, star of AXS TV's Real Money, dies at 70

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The singer behind classic rock hits "Two Tickets to Paradise," "Take Me Home Tonight," "Shakin’" and "Baby Hold On" died Friday less than three weeks after announcing he has esophageal cancer. In April 2018, Money launched the AXS TV reality show Real Money, which was renewed for a second season. The Season 2 midseason premiere airs tonight. “The Money Family regrets to announce that Eddie passed away peacefully early this morning,” the singer's family said in a statement. “It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to our loving husband and father. We cannot imagine our world without him. In an interview last year with Rolling Stone to promote Real Money, the singer admitted the show was an excuse to make dad jokes on camera. "I’m a SportsCenter kind of guy," he said when asked if he watched other reality shows for inspiration. "Before I go to bed, I want to see if the Dodgers won. I’m like Grandpa Money. I saw Ozzy’s show a couple times and it was good, but I wasn’t really into watching a lot of reality TV. When they had me do the show, I really didn’t even know what the whole thing was all about. I wish they would have shot it 10 pounds ago or 10 years ago. We are grateful that he will live on forever through his music. But I got to get a couple of my funny jokes in. When I had to go horseback riding, they gave me this big son-of a-bitching horse. The cameras are on me and I’m looking at the horses and going, 'You look really depressed. Why the long face?' (Laughs) I got a kick out of it.” Watch AXS TV's tribute to Money. UPDATE: AXS TV to air a tribute to Money on Sunday night.