Who is Laurie Money?
Laurie Harris was born in 1950, in the United States of America. She is a television personality, producer, and former model, but perhaps best known for being the wife of the late rock singer Eddie Money. The couple was featured on television in the show “Real Money” for a few years before his passing in 2019.
The Riches of Laurie Money
As of early-2020, Laurie Money’s net worth is estimated to be over $3.5 million, earned through success in her various endeavors. Her modeling and television work would help her build significant wealth.
She also benefitted from the estate left behind by her late husband, as Eddie had a net worth estimated to be over $20 million.
Meeting Eddie Money
Before she met the famous singer, Laurie’s life remained relatively out of the spotlight. The two apparently met in 1985, during an event when she had already won the Nashville, Tennessee beauty contest called Miss One for the Sun, and was the reigning titleholder. She had also gained regular work as a professional model.
She was attracted and interested in him at the start, though she knew that there was a lot about him that needed work.
At the time, Eddie struggled with addictions to drugs and alcohol, and was already suffering a permanent limp, due to damage caused to his sciatic nerve by an overdose of synthetic barbiturate mixed with vodka. A few years back he had also hit the headlines when he was set to marry a college student named Margo Lee Walker, but the wedding was crashed by screaming fans, and the relationship eventually fizzled out. Laurie wanted their romance to work, and he wanted to start a family, but she would only agree if he would sober up.
Marriage – Ups and Downs
Laurie married Eddie in 1989, and he was inspired by their relationship to stay sober, although still struggling with alcohol from time to time. However, the two started a family, having five children together. During the latter part of his career, he bought a home in Westlake Village, California, and the family also had a home in the Palm Coast, Florida gated community called Island Estates, a getaway for the family to go fishing, play golf, surf, and spark some creativity.
Numerous times her husband expressed that she was his biggest supporter, and given him the best years of his life.
He also mentioned in an interview that the reason they stayed together in a successful marriage for decades was due to how they treat each other as equals. There was a time when the two briefly separated due to a fight, and Eddie had to stay in a hotel for some time to write songs on his own. Laurie was very strict when it came to her husband’s career, helping him make moves that would keep them out of controversy, especially from notorious shows or events that could try to insinuate rumors about their relationship.
Eddie’s Sickness and Passing
In 2018, the couple and their family began their foray into reality television, with the show called “Real Money”, a play on their family name.
Like many other reality shows, it was meant to showcase their life as a family, and debuted on AXS TV with Laurie being named as one of the producers of the show. It ran for a season and was set to run a second season in which Eddie would try and deal with the disease with his family.
AXS aired the episode where Eddie had to undergo heart valve surgery due to complications from smoking – he also contracted pneumonia which was making things difficult. In response, he canceled the tour dates, but while recovering from the operation, he was diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer, which had already spread to his stomach and lymph nodes.
He passed away just a month later due to complications of the disease while he was in a Los Angeles hospital. Since his passing, Laurie has been quiet and is likely in the process of grieving with her family.
Eddie Money’s Career Beginnings
Eddie Money grew up in Levittown, Long Island, New York, the son of a police officer. At a young age he developed a strong interest in singing, and began performing with bands as a teenager. He was kicked out of his first high school for forgery, but later completed his education at Island Trees High School. He didn’t envision a music career at first and wanted to follow in the father’s footsteps, becoming a trainee at the New York City Police Department (NYPD).
He started his career as a typist and clerk for the NYPD, but was dissatisfied, so left his job so he could focus on his music, however, his bandmates decided to kick him out as they didn’t want to be associated with a police officer. In 1968 he moved to Berkeley, California, and took classes to improve his vocal ability, and eventually started gaining regular jobs as a performer in clubs in the San Francisco Bay Area. This led him to sign a contract with Columbia Records, and he released his debut album in 1977.
The Success of Eddie Money
Following the release of a couple of hits, Money took advantage of the rising fame of music videos, and began releasing humorous videos.
He also began appearing on television regularly in the 1980s, performing hits such as “Think I’m In Love” and “Shakin”. In 1983, following the release of his album called “Where’s the Party?”, his career went into a slow decline, mainly due to struggles with drugs that left him far from his full ability. In 1986 he made a comeback with the platinum-certified album “Can’t Hold Back”, containing the single “Take Me Home Tonight” which reached fourth spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
He continued releasing hit singles up to the early1990s, when he to tour sporadically began, and also wrote songs for several films and television shows. In 2008, he was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame. Following his death, his songs reached online highs – “Take Me Home Tonight” in particular increased 350 percent in viewership, while his other songs increased by over 930 percent.