Tom Moffatt
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Uncle Tom Moffatt has built a career surrounding himself with some of the biggest names in music history. And since he was on MidWeek‘s cover in July 1987, not much has changed. He still has his radio program on Oldies 107.9 and is still working long hours to bring Hawaii a variety of acts from classic rock to Chinese lion dancers - all the while defying age in a business where youth is king.
“I’m having too much fun,” he says when asked about possible retirement. “I enjoy this. As long as people are coming out, I’ll be doing it.”
One thing that has been different of late was enjoying the special invitation he received to attend the NFL Hall of Fame ceremony in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 7. While there, he got to present inductee Steve Young and his wife with a lei.
“His wife’s aunt is a good friend of mine and she invited us to the ceremony. It was exciting. It was a once-in-a-life-time experience,” says the admitted quarterback junkie, who was particularly thrilled when, at a special dinner, all of the Hall of Famers were introduced.
Along with Sweetie, his wife of 40-plus years, Moffatt is trying for that balance trick of bringing in high quality entertainment, whether he is familiar with them or not. Sometimes those are his best shows.
“A few years ago a guy called up and said he wanted to bring in Chinese acrobats. I thought, eh, but then I checked them out and they did amazing things.”
The Amazing Acrobats of the Shanghai Circus are now a yearly attraction.
Another time he got a call from a guy who said he was the heavyweight kickboxing champion. Having no idea who this guy was, he asked his son, who relayed to his father that this guy was big-time. So began the collaboration between Moffatt and Dennis Alexio.
So over the years he’s learned to trust the numbers and sometimes his gut, such as when it told him to bring in the American Idol show, while trying to never go up against a big UH foot- ball game.
And what is next on the plate for Moffatt and fans of entertainment in Honolulu? How about jazz legend David Sanborn (Sept. 4); ska band Hepcat (Sept. 4); Loggins and Messina (Oct. 7); World Wrestling Entertainment (Oct. 15); World Lion Dance Championship (Oct. 28); A Chorus Line (Oct. 18-23); Neil Sedaka (Dec. 15) and maybe an oldies show to go along with the city’s centennial celebration Nov. 17.
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