Country and Rock Musician Dies From Pancreatic Cancer: Mark Moffatt Was 74

Mark Moffatt worked with Keith Urban, The Saints and many others.

By John Connor Coulston

Mark Moffatt, a musician who made his claim in both the rock and country genres, has died from pancreatic cancer, according to Music Row and The Music. Both outlets noted he had suffered from the condition for more than a year before his passing. He was 74. 

As a performer, he found success in the Australian music world with the '80s rock band The Monitors. However, he found his greatest success behind the scenes, notably producing the legendary rock group The Saints. He eventually moved over to the U.S. and worked with fellow Australian Keith Urban early on in the country superstar's career.

"I was ready to move," Moffatt told Australian Musician about his decision to move to Nashville. "And it was really about being in the middle of Tennessee, where so much stuff that I was influenced by had come from, you know, Memphis and the Delta and Muscle Shoals. I got to see and work with people from all of those places. But the Keith thing came out of the Barry Coburn connection. He'd signed Keith and we worked together for a couple of years until he got a record deal and things took off."

He also worked with Tony Joe White, Gloriana, The Divinyls, Deana Carter and Slim Dusty. Troy Cassar-Daley, another Australian in the country music genre, was among those who honored Moffatt after his passing.

"I am saddened to hear of the passing of Mark Moffat this morning," Cassar-Daley wrote. "He hailed from around Maryborough [Queensland] and did so much for so many as a producer, guitar player and mentor. I first met him in Sydney he had just produced one of my favourite Shane Howard records " The River." He ended up in Nashville doing wonderful work uniting the great divide between Australia and the USA country music industries and brought A lot of people together on so many levels. We always caught up when I went to Nashville and I'll miss his stories and wonderful guitar playing." 

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He added, "Will miss you in Nashville Moff."

Moffatt is survived by his wife Lindsey, son Geordie, stepdaughter Dana and two granddaughters. A memorial service is planned but details have not been made public as of press time.

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