Niko Moon has a simple approach when it comes to creating music, whether he is writing, producing or performing.
"My goal is to put out feel-good music," he said in a Zoom call in advance of his performance from 4:15-5:15 p.m. Saturday on the Budweiser Stage at the Riverbend Festival.
A happy person by nature, Moon said giving people a chance to just let go and smile for a while is especially needed right now for a lot of reasons, and he is glad to oblige. That doesn't mean his songs are all rainbows and unicorns, as he always tries to write from an honest place, but he simply sees the good in things.
His catalog of songs includes titles like "No Sad Songs" and "Good Time," after all.
"We just tryna catch a good time
Even if it takes all night
Pass that bottle 'round the campfire
Sippin' apple pie moonshine"
"I love positivity," he said. "I love feel-good music like from Bob Marley, Kenny Chesney and Jimmy Buffett. Music that resonates with me. Plus, people are dealing with so much stress and mental health issues."
Mike Dougher co-booked this year's Riverbend lineup with Nashville-based promoter Chris Cobb and said in a text that Moon gets high marks from at least one very important fan.
"My wife has told me that Niko Moon should be artist of the year! He has been her absolute favorite for the last 6 months," Dougher said.
Moon, 40, said he got his passion for music in general from his parents and from exposure to a wide variety of styles growing up in Douglasville, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta. He was far enough outside of the big city to get into country music and close enough to be exposed to and fall in love with hip-hop.
Saturday’s Riverbend Schedule
2 p.m. — Gates open3-4 p.m. — Arrested Development — Coca Cola Stage4-5:15 p.m. — The Communicators present “That ’90s Show” — Chevrolet Stage4:15-5:15 p.m. — Niko Moon — Budweiser Stage5:30-6:30 p.m. — Moon Taxi — Coca Cola Stage6:35-7:05 p.m. — Rage Against the Machine set featuring Moon Taxi and guests — Coca Cola Stage7:05-8:05 p.m. — Strung Like a Horse — Chevrolet Stage7:30-9 p.m. — Grace Potter — Budweiser Stage9:15-10:45 p.m. — Cage the Elephant — Coca-Cola Stage
One of the local heroes was Zac Brown, and Moon opened for the then-local star at a club, and the two became friends. Moon would eventually join Brown as a player and as a writing collaborator for almost a decade, during which time Brown became a huge star. It was his college, Moon said.
"I dropped out of college my freshman year," he said. "I didn't like it. It didn't interest me. I did construction during the day and music at night. Going out with Zac was my education."
During his matriculation, he went from hitting the road in a tour bus and playing honky-tonks to 100-200 people to selling out Fenway Park in Boston for two nights in a row.
"Looking back, I was an artist in utero, and it was an amazing education," Moon said.
He said he learned how to treat fans and fellow musicians, but also the difference between a good song and a great song.
"I thought I knew what was great, but it was just alright," he said.
Growing up in North Georgia, Moon said he is well aware of the Riverbend Festival and is looking forward to playing it. He's a rising star in country music known for his engineering, production, writing and performing skills. He loves all aspects of the work. He said during the pandemic, he was able to hunker down in his home studio and put all of those talents to use on his own album, "Good Time."
It was something he needed to do, he said, and the idea that people like it is a bonus.
"The fact that country music fans are giving me this life is unbelievable," he said. "Otherwise, I'm a dude at home playing music for myself."
He said he takes nothing for granted, trying to both enjoy and give back.
"It's kind of like an athlete. Very few get the Jimmy Buffett evergreen career that never dies. I pray for that, though," he said.
Moon has also written songs for Dierks Bentley, Zac Brown Band, Rascal Flatts and Morgan Wallen. Moon said he likes to meet with an artist he is writing for to get to know them a bit.
He wants to know their likes and dislikes and their general personality. He wants to know about where they are in their lives and about what he calls their "signatures" - the little things they do with their voice, tonal things, thematic things that they do with their songs and just a "general vibe."
"And then you have to pretty much erase yourself and become invisible and harness your songwriting abilities for them and get into their world. If it's not coming from them, authentically, it's not going to connect. Say, for instance, when I write for Zac Brown, I put on my imaginary beanie, and my imaginary leather vest and think about my imaginary five kids. These are all things that are important to him."
Moon added, "It's a fun little game to play."
If someone was going to write a song for him, it's an easy guess as to what he would tell them during the getting-to-know-you interview. That's where the diversity comes into play. Lyrically, it has to be positive, and it has to have a certain sonic signature, as well.
Growing up just a few miles from country artists Travis Tritt and Alan Jackson, Moon said their lyrics reflected his reality, but he also felt a kinship with the dobro and the pedal steel sounds in the music. He also loved the beats and drums of Atlanta hip-hop artists like Outkast.
"I felt like that is where I grew up is where those two worlds met each other. And so did everybody who I knew," he said.
"The spices that I choose to add are from where I'm from, which is the Atlanta area," he said.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354. Follow him on Twitter @BarryJC.