Legendary Australian music producer behind Keith Urban and Slim Dusty hits dies at age 74

Mark Moffatt has died at the age of 74. 

Dubbed ‘an unsung hero of Australian music’ the Queensland-born producer passed away on Friday, in Nashville, Tennessee, after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Well known in the music industry as a skilled guitarist and producer, Moffatt worked with some of Australia’s biggest pop and rock stars. 

Among his credits are The Saints hits (I’m) Stranded and No Time, as well as Yothu Yindi’s smash single Treaty.

‘This was life-changing, really’ Moffat told The Music of working on the track. 

‘I spent time with the band and learned their tribal beliefs. The didge player, Milkay, was unbelievable. He was like the master’ he explained. 

‘I remember when Treaty was out, and we were still working on the album, I was with the band at Tullamarine airport, and these white schoolkids came running up to these Aboriginal guys to ask for their autographs. 

‘That was a very special moment.’

Additionally, he was producer on Slim Dusty’s Fiddler Man and Tim Finn’s Fraction Too Much Friction.

The Aussie moved to Nashville in 1996, forging a successful career in the USA, working with artists such as Keith Urban and Richard Clapton. 

During his time in Nashville, he was awarded the CMA Global Achievement Award.  

Moffat has ‘more APRA Top 30 songs of all time than any other producer,’ according to The Music, and worked with 15 ARIA Hall of Fame nominees.

Moffatt worked with some of Australia’s biggest pop and rock stars. Among his credits is Yothu Yindi’s smash single Treaty, which he said changed his life. Yothu Yindi are pictured 

Additionally, he was producer on Slim Dusty’s Fiddler Man and Tim Finn’s Fraction Too Much Friction. Slim Dusty is pictured

The Aussie moved to Nashville in 1996, forging a successful career in the USA, working with artists such as Keith Urban (pictured) and Richard Clapton

Among those paying tribute was Aussie country music star Troy Cassar-Daley. 

‘I am saddened to hear of the passing of Mark Moffat this morning, He hailed from around Maryborough, Queensland and did so much for so many as a producer, guitar player and mentor’ he wrote in a post on X. 

‘I first met him in Sydney he had just produced one of my favourite Shane Howard records, The River’ Tory began.

‘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’ he continued. 

Moffat is survived by his wife, Lindsey, his son Geordie, stepdaughter Dana and two granddaughters

‘We always caught up when I went to Nashville and I’ll miss his stories and wonderful guitar playing. 

‘We wrote a song called Long way home together which was a title track years ago.

‘Just another good human gone too soon Who I will miss, Such a huge array of artists that he has produced and helped Will miss you in Nashville Moff’. 

Moffat is survived by his wife, Lindsey, his son Geordie, stepdaughter Dana and two granddaughters.