'Eddie Money Tribute Concert' Featuring JAMES HETFIELD, SAMMY HAGAR to Air In March On AXS TV

AXS TV honors the incredible life and enduring legacy of beloved rock icon Eddie Money, proudly serving as the exclusive broadcaster of the "Eddie Money Tribute Concert" — premiering Sunday, March 22 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The concert was the first public recognition honoring Eddie since his passing on September 13, 2019, with proceeds of the event benefiting MusiCares and the USC Eddie Money Cancer Research Fund.

Hosted by Eddie's good friend, comedian and award-winning actor Louie Anderson, the two-hour "Eddie Money Tribute Concert" is a heartfelt celebration of the man whose trademark vocals fueled chart-topping favorites such as "Shakin'", "Take Me Home Tonight", "Think I'm in Love", "Two Tickets To Paradise" and "Baby Hold On", among many others, and provided the soundtrack for a generation of music lovers.

Originally filmed live on February 20 at The Canyon at The Saban in Beverly Hills, the evening features unforgettable appearances and performances by Eddie's family and fellow music legends. The concert included powerhouse performances of Eddie's classic hits such as "Shakin'" by Sammy Hagar, "Save A Little Room" by John Waite, "Think I'm In Love" by Kevin Cronin and Dave Amato, and an acoustic performance of "Baby Hold On" by James Hetfield (METALLICA). Additionally, there were heartfelt renditions of "Baby Hold On" and "Wanna Go Back" by Eddie's children Jesse, Dez and Julian Money who made their dad proud as they commanded the stage with one of the night's most memorable moments.

The tribute also featured a collection of moving video tributes from world-class artists Huey Lewis, Joan Jett, Steve Miller, LOVERBOY, BOSTON and Dennis DeYoung, as well as funnyman Kevin James who fondly recalled Eddie's performance at his wedding and shared rare footage from the special day. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak also took the stage, regaling the crowd with anecdotes from Eddie's set at the historic US Festival in 1982.

"AXS TV was a big part of our lives for the past two years while we shot 'Real Money' and we are so pleased to have them onboard as the exclusive home for Eddie's memorable tribute event," said Laurie Money, Eddie's wife of 30-plus years. "We are so excited that others will now have the opportunity to witness the outpouring of love and support that Eddie and our family received from his music peers through this concert."

"We are grateful to the incredible artists and industry friends who dedicated their time and talents and came together to make this celebration of his life possible," continued Money. "Their combined energy and efforts helped our family give Eddie a uniquely spectacular sendoff, worthy of the great husband, father, friend and artist that he truly was. Every performance of the concert is a must see and is undeniably straight from the heart. The concert is a testimony that exemplifies how deeply he was loved by the music community."

"Eddie Money was a rock icon and chart-topping entertainer, but he was also a beloved member of the AXS TV family," said Lucia McCalmont, vice president of programming and scheduling, AXS TV. "It was a true joy to be able to experience the deep love of the Money family firsthand during the filming of 'Real Money', and we were proud to play a small part in Eddie's legacy as we shared their incredible bond with viewers around the world. His warm personality and infectious tunes influenced and inspired so many people, and we couldn't think of a better way to honor him than with this celebration of his life and his music."

As part of the celebration, the network will also present both seasons of the AXS TV original reality series "Real Money" at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT on Saturday, March 21 — what would have been Eddie's 71st birthday. The series gave viewers an unfiltered look into the Money family — which included Eddie and Laurie, along with their five kids Zach, Joe, Dez, Jesse and Julian, and 10 pets — as they lived, laughed, bickered, and rocked under one roof. Seasons One and Two of "Real Money" will air in their entirety, allowing fans to relive all the fun hijinks and heartfelt memories one more time.

"Eddie Money Tribute Concert" setlist:

* "Baby Hold On" - Jesse, Dez and Julian Money
* "Trinidad" - Tommy Tutone
* "Walk On Water" - Mickey Thomas
* "Save A Little Room" - John Waite
* "No Control" - Greg Kihn
* "Money (That's What I Want)" - George Thorogood
* "Think I'm in Love" - Kevin Cronin and Dave Amato
* "Wanna Go Back" - Jesse and Dez Money
* "Baby Hold On" - James Hetfield
* "Shakin" - Sammy Hagar with Jesse, Dez and Julian Money
* "Take Me Home Tonight" - Dez and Jesse Money
* "Two Tickets To Paradise" - All

Hetfield and Money were friends, with the METALLICA guitarist/vocalist recalling how he first connected with the late singer.

"So I got to hang out with Eddie the last probably three years of his life," James said before playing "Baby Hold On". "I saw the cleaned-up version of Eddie.

He explained that he first met Money at an Oakland Raiders football game where Eddie was performing the national anthem. "I met him before he went out there, and he kinda blew me off," Hetfield recalled. "I thought, 'Who is is this pompous ass?' And if you spot it, you've got it, is what I'm saying. So it was like two big dogs going in a circle around each other, which was kind of funny. I saw through it. I saw through that ego, and he saw through mine, and we got to be friends, 'cause I think our egos matched the size or our insecurities."

Photo credit: Stewart Volland