Eddie Money

Labels can be deceiving. Take, for example, those misguided individuals who refer to South Florida as paradise. It's highly doubtful that the concept of paradise ever encompassed awful traffic, squabbling politicians, heat, humidity, and the near-constant threat of a hurricane. So when Eddie Money promises two tickets to paradise, chances are he's not referring to this realm. Then again, he could be referencing the Seminole Paradise, home to Hard Rock Live. That's the site of an upcoming gig that finds Money part of a package euphemistically billed as the Working Class Tour '07, a revival that pairs him with headliner Rick Springfield and special guest John Waite. Money comes by the working-class handle justifiably, however; before he made the career switch to raspy-voiced rock star, he was Eddie Mahoney, a New York City cop. A move to San Francisco in the late '70s was followed by a management deal with legendary promoter Bill Graham, which led to a lucrative contract with Columbia Records, a string of hits ("Baby Hold On," "Shakin'," "Two Tickets to Paradise," and "Take Me Home Tonight," his duet with legendary Ronnie Spector), and a steady presence on MTV — all of which could make two tickets to this Paradise worth the Money.