Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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MOFFATT, Hugh

(b 10 Nov. '48, Fort Worth TX) Country singer, songwriter, guitarist steeped in Texas tradition. Played trumpet in high school band; learned guitar while at university in Houston; played in a local band, moved to Austin '71 and joined thriving singer-songwriter club scene; en route to Washington DC ended up in Nashville '73. His first recorded song 'Just In Case' a hit for Ronnie Milsap '74; signed with Mercury and covered Don Schlitz's 'The Gambler' '78 without success; that year Joe Sun recorded Moffatt's 'Old Flames (Can't Hold A Candle To You)' and two years later Dolly Parton took the song to no.1 and it become his most recorded song. More hits for Alabama, Lacy J. Dalton, Johnny Rodriguez, etc; he put together band Ratz with self-financed EP Puttin' On The Ratz '84; signed to Philo/Rounder he cut first album Loving You '87 featuring mainly self-penned songs; continued touring and recording as something of a folk-country troubadour, popular in Europe. His songs continue to be covered by country acts in Nashville and by Irish pop-country singers. Albums incl. Troubadour '89, Dance Me Outside (with Katy Moffatt) '91 on Philo/Rounder; Live And Alone '93 on Brambus; The Wognum Sessions '95 on Strictly Country, The Life Of A Minor Poet '96 on Watermelon.