He’s produced Florida Georgia Line, Nickelback, and had a hand in writing the tunes My Darkest Days’ ‘Porn Star Dancing‘, and FGL’s ‘Cruise‘, and more. He’s got Keith Urban in his contact list – and it started right here in Dawson Creek at the Silverado.
Joey Moi’s credit list over the last 20 years matches anyone in the music industry – countless platinum records and singles in rock and country. He’s now a Partner/Producer at Nashville’s Big Loud Records – celebrating its five-year anniversary on Saturday. And also up for Producer of the Year at the 2020 ACM Awards, slated for September 16.
Moi was born in Whitehorse, Yukon, moved around BC and then to Tumbler Ridge when he was ten. After graduating from Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, he moved to Vancouver to attend the Audio Engineering program at the Centre for Digital Imaging and Sound. He’s got some work experience throughout the Peace.
“I’d DJ dances and played those sorts of things. I was into the buttons and knobs.”
After some work experiences including stint at 560 CKNL in Fort St. John, he started to get a handle of things.
“From there, I spend some time with Systems by Trail, working with them as well and all of this just kinda added up.”
He has broken some of the biggest names in the business – in the mid 1990s he was working front of house and helped load an unknown band into the Silverado in Dawson Creek – those members eventually would grow to be Nickelback.
Years later while attending engineering school in Vancouver, he was assigned a band to produce demos for the class. It was the same band – Nickelback.
“Flash forward four years and we ran into each other again – and those demoes were what got them signed.”
Fair to say they are tight. Moi stepped up to produce Nickelback’s multi-platinum The Long Road in 2003. And the next few albums.
The tune ‘Photograph’ asks “What the hell is on Joey’s head?” – Moi knows, he is the Joey in question.
Moi’s move from rock to country took a similar friendly kismet route – through Dallas Smith and Default.
“We were working some of the early Default stuff and we joked anytime Dallas wanted to record and work up a country album, he should. He can sing anything. One of those Default tunes had a country ish harmony to it. Cut to years later, Dallas is making that first country record.”
This led Moi moving to Nashville for songwriting and publishing gigs, and Florida Georgia Line.
“We got into publishing, and artist development.”
All of a sudden the tune Cruise took off for FGL and Moi – and another new door was opening.
“It all feels like it happened so fast.”
“Flash forward four years and we ran into each other again – and those demos were what got them signed.”
One of the early Big Loud breakouts in addition to FGL, is Chris Lane.
“Chris is a great guy. There was something about him when we first saw him, he had a massive following and a merch table, but no record deal. He’s in a good place in the arc of his career right now.”
Moi has lived in Nashville for the last decade. No matter how big time Moi’s circle gets, somethings do still surprise him.
“I looked down at the phone once and saw ‘Hey, Keith Urban here, I really want to work with you,’ and I thought yeah, right.”
Things move fast in the music business. Moi assembled some writers, and shot Urban some tracks.
A couple weeks later he’s in the studio with Keith Urban. Moi produced Urban’s track ‘Polaroid’ earlier this year and has another Urban work in the mix.
“Another great guy, and an elite talent,’ says Moi.
He’s not the only one, Joey.