The Soundtrack of Life

Danny Moffitt, ’11, follows a musical path.

“My full-on love for creating and playing music began when I found the guitar,” said Danny Moffitt, ’11.

Danny was in sixth grade when he got serious about the instrument, setting him on a path that would lead to a life of music. It was also the catalyst for meeting his wife, Lindsey (Nelson) Moffitt, ’14.

Danny’s family influenced and encouraged his interest in music. “My mother would play guitar around the house,” he said. “There are pictures of me playing next to her when I was a toddler. And any instrument I wanted to try, my parents said, ‘Absolutely, go for it!’”

Danny wrote his first song in middle school. “I never shared it with anyone but I wanted to continue creating and improving at songwriting.” 

The Songwriting Process

“Talking about writing music makes me want to write a song,” Danny said. His creative process begins with the music, which leads the way before he adds lyrics. “I love how everything unfolds from that first chord on the guitar. It’s always exciting because I never know where the song will take me.”

He first performed his songs in high school and started considering how to incorporate music into his future. Initially, he thought he’d become a band director. “I loved the energy of being in the stands at games, trying to electrify the crowd, and being part of that atmosphere.”

Danny served as the drum major at UND for two years, but his passion was the guitar, and he realized being a band director wasn’t the right fit.

Teaching and Inspiring

Danny shares his love for music by teaching elementary and middle students in East Grand Forks. “Middle schoolers were harder to excite,” he said. “They didn’t want to sing, so I assigned music-writing and recording projects.”

With younger students, Danny focuses on building a safe and fun environment. “I make sure they feel comfortable singing and moving without fear of being teased. If they’re singing and having fun, that’s success to me.”

The Language of Music

Danny has been playing in bands since high school and currently performs with Paint the Town, a cover band that plays gigs around Grand Forks. On Sundays, they transform into a worship band at Calvary Lutheran Church. “Having the same members in both bands is nice for us as musicians,” he said. “It helps when we understand each other’s musical quirks. It’s easier to know where we’re going with a song. Music is like a language,” he said.

He shares that language with Lindsey. The two met in the UND Department of Music but didn’t start dating until after college. Now married, they share their passion for music through their band, Dear You. Balancing life with two young children means they don’t often perform, but they collaborate on songwriting and plan to record and release new music soon.