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Keith Urban

 
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Keith Urban

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Singer, songwriter

Award-winning Australian country singer Keith Urban has fans not only in his home country of Australia, but in the United States as well. Known for his hard-driving guitar playing and honest lyrics, Urban returned to his Australian pub-rock roots with Golden Road in 2002, celebrating the sound that sets him apart from most American country musicians.

Urban was born in New Zealand but grew up in the Australian town of Caboolture in Queensland. His parents Marienne and Bob Urban owned a convenience store, and when Urban was six years old, a woman asked if she could post a sign in the store advertising guitar lessons. Urban’s parents agreed, as long as she signed up their son. Marienne Urban told Angela Pul-virenti in Melbourne, Australia’s Sunday Herald Sun, "He just played and played it. When he taught himself a new song he’d say, ‘Come and listen to this.’"

Urban usually played tunes he had heard on his parents’ records, which included albums by country greats Johnny Cash, Don Williams, and Glen Campbell. He was so influenced by country, he told Pulvirenti, that "Even when I played an Elton John song, it sounded like a country song." By the time he was seven, Urban had joined a local group, the West-field Super Juniors, and when he was ten, he performed a Dolly Parton tune on the Australian television talent show Pot of Gold. He dropped out of school in tenth grade and began playing on the Queensland pub circuit.

"Nashville Wasn’t Ready for Me"
In 1992, at the age of 21, Urban moved to Nashville, Tennessee, the hub of American country music. His initial reception, however, was a cold one. Urban told Pulvirenti, "People never told me I was a loser to my face. They would tell me I was destined to be a star then tell everyone else I didn’t have a hope in hell." To survive, Urban played any bar gigs he could get at night and did odd jobs during the day. In 1995 he formed the group the Ranch with Australian drummer Peter Clarke and American bass player Jerry Flowers. Like Urban, Clarke had grown up playing in Australian pubs and their raw, rowdy style didn’t go over well with American country audiences. Urban told Pulvirenti, "Nashville wasn’t ready for someone who sweated on his guitar and threw it around the stage."

The Ranch performed all over the United States, driving long hours to play for tiny, often unappreciative audiences. Urban told Billy Watkins in the Jackson, Mississippi Clarion-Ledger that at one venue, three people were present when they started their show. "We played one song, and one person left. We played another song, and the other two people left. We figured we’d better quit playing before the bartender left as well. We felt so bad, we didn’t even let them pay us." Through this difficult period, Urban told Pulvirenti, he

kept his hopes of a big career alive by remembering something an industry insider had once told him: "The thing about you is you’re different. And that will be your greatest curse, until it becomes your biggest blessing."

The Ranch eventually signed with Capitol Records and released a self-titled album in 1997. Although critics liked it, the record label gave it little publicity, and few copies were sold. When Urban developed throat problems and his doctor told him not to sing for a few months, the Ranch disbanded. In the meantime, Urban worked as a guitarist, performing on albums by wellknown country artists Brooks and Dunn and the Dixie Chicks. However, he eventually became depressed by his lack of success, and began taking cocaine.

Trouble with Drugs
"It’s a horrible, horrible thing," Urban told Pulvirenti. "You know you have to stop and you just can’t. You look at yourself in the mirror and say, ‘Who are you and how the hell did you let this happen to yourself?’" He said that part of the reason he got into drugs was loneliness. He often had no one to talk to about his troubles, and when he did, they told other people, leading to gossip all over Nashville. "So you clam up and go inward, and that’s when you’re in real trouble."

Despite the fact that family and friends back in Australia would have been sympathetic, Urban did not want to bother them with his troubles. Later, he realized that he should have gone home and regained strength and confidence in himself, but at the time, pride prevented him from doing so—he didn’t want to go home without a success story to tell.

Urban eventually became terrified that the drug use would kill him. This terror finally fueled his desire to stop and he kicked the habit for good in 1998. At the same time, American country music was changing, becoming more open to artists outside the stereotypical conservative pattern. Urban was not American, did not wear a cowboy hat, and sang about unusual themes. Formerly a block to his career, this now made him interesting.

Rose to Success
In addition, Capitol Records now had a new executive. Mike Dungan was impressed by Urban’s talent and drive and believed that his uniqueness was a strength. He encouraged Urban to be himself and write from his own experience. The resulting album, Keith Urban, released in 1999, had three top-five American singles, including the number-one song "There But for the Grace of God." Urban’s success also won him the Country Music Association’s Horizon Award for Best Newcomer. In 2001 Urban landed on the Chicago Tribune’s list of Ten Best Country Albums, appeared on the cover of USA Today’s USA Weekend, and was on People magazine’s list of the "sexiest men alive."

Golden Road, released in 2002, was eagerly anticipated, and fan enthusiasm for the album quickly drove it up both the rock and country charts in the United States. Urban told Amy Freeborn in the Adelaide, Australia Advertiser, "It hasn’t even been a week since the record’s been out and people know it." The album showed that Urban was beginning to return to his Australian pub rock roots, giving the songs more of a country rock flavor than those on his first album. He told Freeborn, "If you play in Aussie pubs, you’ve got to really commit and be passionate and aggressive. But that wasn’t Nashville’s cup of tea at all. I was forced to tone it all down and I got so bored but gradually it’s [the Australian rock influence] come back again." He said that working so hard to be accepted by the American industry cost him some of what made his music unique, and he was working to regain some of that identity now. A single from the album, "Somebody Like You," spent several weeks in the top spot on the American country charts.

In early 2003 Urban’s doctor advised him to take a complete vocal rest for six weeks after diagnosing him with a vocal cord problem. Urban canceled several concert appearances in order to prevent permanent damage to his voice. Urban told Pulvirenti that in the future he wants to expand his audience: "I want to play to those big indoor stadiums. To have 10,000 or 15,000 people out there having a ball with you—that’s what it’s all about."

Selected discography
Keith Urban 1991, EMI (Australia), 1991.
Ranch, Capitol Nashville, 1997.
Keith Urban, Capitol Nashville, 1999.
Golden Road, Capitol Nashville, 2002.

Sources
Advertiser (Adelaide, Australia), December 30, 1999, p. 64; September 24, 2001, p.20; October 26, 2002, p. W3.
Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, MS), April 22, 2003, p. E1.
Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Australia), October 24, 2002, p. E6.
Houston Chronicle, February 1, 2003, p. 10.
News-Press (Fort Myers, FL), November 22, 2002, p. 3.
Sunday Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia), September 29, 2002, p. Z05.
Sunday Mail (Brisbane, Australia), August 26, 2001, p. 66; September 29, 2002, p. 67.
Tennessean, December 27, 2002, p. F7.
AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Artists:

Keith Urban

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  • Genres: Country

Biography

Although born in New Zealand and raised in nearby Australia, Keith Urban made his biggest splash in Nashville, where he helped rewrite the rules of contemporary country music. By embracing drum loops and elements of Top 40 pop, Urban wrote songs that appealed to a wide audience, effectively satisfying his Nashville fans without alienating those more accustomed to pop music. He also became a genuine celebrity, known for his good looks, marriage to Nicole Kidman, and outspoken battle with alcoholism. Even so, it was the music that maintained Urban's career, from his work with the Ranch during the late '90s to the acclaimed solo albums that followed.

Keith Urban began learning guitar as a six-year-old. His father, the owner of a local convenience store, agreed to hang a guitar teacher's flyer in his shop window in exchange for free lessons. The lessons went to his son, who demonstrated natural talent on the instrument and won several talent competitions while still in elementary school. Urban grew comfortable on-stage, and he worked on his singing and acting abilities as a member of the Westfield Super Juniors, a local theater company. Meanwhile, he took a cue from his father (who had a deep interest in American culture and country music) by gravitating toward the work of Glen Campbell, Dolly Parton, Don Williams, and Jimmy Webb, all of whom inspired his early attempts at songwriting. Urban added his own dimension to those influences when he discovered Dire Straits and became interested in the fretwork of Mark Knopfler, which led to in-depth study of Knopfler's technique.

Australian country music was primed for a revolution at the start of the '90s, and Keith Urban -- young, brash, and blonde, with a guitar style that owed heavily to rock & roll -- was part of that transformation. After signing with the Australian branch of EMI Records, he issued his first album and scored several number one hits in his home country. Even so, Urban's sights remained on Nashville, TN, which he considered to be the birthplace of the music he loved. Having already taken trips to Nashville to forge career bridges, he soon decided to base himself in the city. His Australian bandmate, drummer Peter Clarke, also came along, and the two formed the Ranch during their first few months in America. Although their original bass player returned to Australia, West Virginian Jerry Flowers quickly stepped in.

The Ranch's music was raw and rowdy, more indicative of Australian pub rock than Nashville's country scene. Nevertheless, the band netted a record deal with Capitol Nashville and a management contract with Miles Copeland, who had previously managed the Police. The group's debut album, The Ranch, was released to moderate acclaim in 1997, but Urban was forced to take a break when he developed throat problems, and the Ranch disbanded soon after. While Urban remained on vocal rest, other artists called upon him to play guitar on their records. Garth Brooks asked Urban to perform on Double Live, the Dixie Chicks invited him to play on their second album (which featured a reworked version of "Some Days You Gotta Dance," a song that also appeared on the Ranch's debut), and Matt Rollings -- one of Nashville's top producers -- hired Urban as a session player for his latest album. The two quickly clicked.

Impressed with Rollings' knowledge of Nashville's session players, Urban asked him to produce his next solo record. Released in 1999, the self-titled Keith Urban spawned four hit singles and paved the way for his successful career in America. A tour in support of that album saw Urban opening for major acts like Dwight Yoakam, Faith Hill, and Tim McGraw, as well as headlining his own shows. Urban found more success with 2002's Golden Road, which sent three singles to the top of the country charts and went triple platinum in the U.S., as well as 2004's Be Here, which bested the feats of its predecessor by selling over four million copies. Keith Urban was now a contemporary country superstar, replete with Grammy nominations and paparazzi attention, and his label capitalized on that attention by reissuing the Ranch's debut album later that year. An anthology of Urban's work, Days Go By, followed in 2005.

The next year, Urban continued to attract media attention with his highly publicized engagement (and June marriage) to fellow Australian Nicole Kidman, plus his voluntary entry into a rehabilitation center for alcohol abuse. He postponed all his upcoming promotional appearances while in treatment, although the album Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing was released in November as scheduled. It failed to produce a number one hit (the first of Urban's solo albums to do so), but Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing still went double platinum in America, aided in part by a successful tour with Carrie Underwood.

Urban returned to the top of the charts in 2008 with a re-recorded version of "You Look Good in My Shirt," which had originally appeared on 2002's Golden Road. The new version appeared on his latest compilation record, Greatest Hits, and its success helped pave the way for Urban's next solo album. Released in 2009, Defying Gravity found him singing about life with Nicole Kidman on songs like "Sweet Thing" and "Only You Can Love Me This Way," both of which peaked at number one. Meanwhile, "Kiss a Girl" became his highest-charting single to date on the pop charts, and two additional tunes -- "'Til Summer Comes Around" and "I'm In" -- both charted well in the country market, making Defying Gravity a crossover success.

Nearly three years had passed between the release of Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing and Defying Gravity. Urban worked quickly on his next album, though, releasing Get Closer during the final months of 2010 and returning to the charts with its lead single, "Put You in a Song." ~ Andrew Leahey, Rovi
Wikipedia on Answers.com:

Keith Urban

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Keith Urban

Keith Urban performing at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan 2 November 2007
Background information
Birth name Keith Lionel Urban[1]
Born (1967-10-26) 26 October 1967 (age 44)
Whangarei, New Zealand
Origin Caboolture, Queensland, Australia
Genres Country, country rock, southern rock
Occupations Singer-songwriter
Instruments Vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, Banjo, piano, bass, mandolin, bouzouki, Ebow, drums, sitar
Years active 1990–present
Labels Capitol Records Nashville
Associated acts The Ranch, Brooks & Dunn, Brad Paisley, Dann Huff, Radney Foster, John Butler Trio, John Mayer, Trisha Yearwood, Nelly Furtado, John Fogerty, Bon Jovi, Carrie Underwood, Richard Marx
Website KeithUrban.net

Keith Lionel Urban (born 26 October 1967) is a Australian country music singer, songwriter and guitarist whose commercial success has been mainly in the United States and Australia. Urban was born in New Zealand and began his career in Australia at an early age. In 1991, he released a self-titled debut album, and charted four singles in Australia before moving to the United States in 1992. Eventually, Urban found work as a session guitarist before starting a band known as The Ranch, which recorded one studio album on Capitol Records and charted two singles on the Billboard country charts.

Still signed to Capitol, he made his solo American debut in 1999 with the album Keith Urban. Certified platinum in the U.S., it also produced his first American Number One in "But for the Grace of God". His breakthrough hit was the Number One "Somebody Like You", from his second Capitol album Golden Road (2002). This album also earned Urban his first Grammy Award win for "You'll Think of Me", its fourth single and the fourth Billboard Number One of his career. 2004's Be Here, his third American album, produced three more Number Ones, and became his highest-selling album, earning 4× Multi-Platinum certification. Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing was released in 2006, producing the record-setting No.17 country chart debut of "Once in a Lifetime", as well as Urban's second Grammy for the song "Stupid Boy", while a Greatest Hits package entitled Greatest Hits: 18 Kids followed in late 2007. This album was re-released a year later as Greatest Hits: 19 Kids with one track added: the number one "You Look Good in My Shirt", which he had previously recorded on Golden Road. Additional albums Defying Gravity and Get Closer were released on 31 March 2009 and 16 November 2010, respectively.

Urban has released a total of nine studio albums (one of which was released only in the United Kingdom), as well as one album in The Ranch. He has charted more than fifteen singles on the U.S. country charts, including fourteen Number Ones. Urban plays acoustic and electric guitar, as well as banjo, bass guitar, mandolin, piano, sitar, bouzouki and drums.

Contents

Life and career

Background

Keith Urban

Keith Lionel Urban was born in Whangarei, New Zealand but later moved and lived with his parents in Caboolture, Queensland, Australia. By age six, Urban was already thinking about getting into the music business. He began learning the techniques at age seven and began winning young singing contests by age eight.

A few years later he began to make inroads into the Australian country music scene with regular appearances on the Reg Lindsay Country Homestead TV Program, Mike McClellan's Music Program and various other TV Programs performing in duet with Jenny Wilson, local Brisbane girl with whom he won a golden guitar award at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. He also performed regularly on stage at the Northern Suburbs Country Music Club near Caboolture.

In 1990, Urban signed with EMI in Australia and recorded his first solo album, which charted four No. 1 country hits in Australia, New Zealand, and Germany. Urban toured as a back-up to Slim Dusty in 1993-4. In the mid 1990s, Dusty and Urban recorded a re-worked duet of Dusty's classic "Lights on the Hill" and Urban appeared for the first time at the Grand Ole Opry backing Dusty.[2]

In 1992, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he found work as a guitarist for Brooks & Dunn and can be seen backing Alan Jackson in his music video for "Mercury Blues". Later, Urban formed The Ranch, a three-piece group that released one album in 1997. Originally the front man for The Ranch, Urban disbanded the group to pursue a solo career in 1998. In 1999, Urban found "Vocal Coach to the Stars" Brett Manning, and worked with him up until 2001.

In August 2000, Urban was the first male New Zealand performer to reach the top 10 on the U.S. country chart with "Your Everything". At the time he was spelling his name "keith urban".[3]

In Nashville, Urban became a frequent user of cocaine.[4] After reaching a personal nadir in 1998, he became determined to give up the habit and checked into Cumberland Heights, a treatment center in Nashville. After cleaning up, Urban released his self-titled American debut in 1999, which produced three top 5 hits and secured for him the Top New Male Vocalist Award at the 2001 Academy of Country Music Awards and the 2001 Country Music Association's Horizon Award. Widely regarded for his guitar skills, has performed as a session musician on albums such as Garth Brooks' Double Live, Dixie Chicks' Fly, and Paul Brandt's This Time Around.[citation needed]

Urban performed "Lights on the Hill" for Tamworth's 2004 tribute concert following the death of Australia's Slim Dusty, an artist whom Urban had both written for and covered.[5][6]

Urban was also a judge for the 8th annual Independent Music Awards.[7][8]

Golden Road & Be Here

Urban released Golden Road in 2002, and the success of the single "Somebody Like You" sent his career into high gear. Touring as a supporting act for renowned country acts Brooks & Dunn, Martina McBride and Kenny Chesney honed Urban's skills and stage-craft. Country video channel CMT signed on as the title sponsor of Urban's first headlining arena tour titled Keith Urban Be Here '04 with opening act Katrina Elam. Urban continued his meteoric rise to fame in 2005 with a very successful tour with Elam called Alive in '05. He performed in the Live 8 Philadelphia concert on 2 July 2005 and had been selected by The Gap to appear alongside seven other musical artists in their "Favorites" campaign. He was named the 2005 CMA's Male Vocalist of the Year. He released a DVD in late September 2005 entitled Livin' Right Now, recorded in at the Wiltern Theater in California in December 2004.

In 2005 Urban performed in front of European audiences for the first time. In May Urban supported Bryan Adams on his UK and Ireland tour, which included dates in Earls Court, London, SECC, Glasgow and The Point, Dublin. On 6 June a UK only album, Days Go By was released, this album contained songs from both Be Here and Golden Road .

In October, Urban returned for a headlining tour with Nerina Pallot and Richard Winsland as support acts.

Urban has recently performed "Better Life" on the CMA Awards and "You'll Think of Me" on the American Music Awards. He also performed at the Grammys playing "You'll Think of Me" and "The Lucky One" with Faith Hill. At the 2006 ACM Awards Urban performed "Tonight I Wanna Cry" and played guitar for Brooks & Dunn's song "Believe."

Love, Pain, & The Whole Crazy Thing

On Monday 21 August 2006, Urban made history when his new single "Once in a Lifetime" debuted at #17, setting a new record for the highest-debuting country single in the 62-year history of Billboard's country charts. The record was formerly held by Garth Brooks' "Good Ride Cowboy" and Eddie Rabbitt's "Every Which Way But Loose", both of which debuted at #18. "Good Ride Cowboy" was the highest in the BDS era (1990–present). The song however would soon be beaten by Kenny Chesney's Don't Blink, which debuted at #16, and later Garth Brooks' "More Than A Memory", which debuted at #1.

Urban is also a winner of numerous "Golden Guitars", which are presented annually during the Tamworth Country Music Festival at "The Country Music Association of Australia's Annual Awards" in Tamworth, New South Wales Australia. He is also a former winner of the Toyota Starmaker Contest, which is held each year in conjunction with the CMAA Awards and the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

Keith was named artist of the month for July 2007 on the television network GAC (Great American Country). He answered a question of the day every day that month, and did multiple interviews about love, life, his new album and his stay in rehab.

On 7 July 2007, Keith performed with Alicia Keys at one of Al Gore's Live Earth concerts held around the world. The concerts were held to raise awareness of global warming. Keith performed at the concert held in New York City and said in an interview that global warming is not a political issue, and what he is doing to help the environment is running all bio-diesel buses in his Love, Pain and The Whole Crazy World Tour.

Urban released his first greatest hits collection, Greatest Hits: 18 Kids, on 20 November 2007. The CD contains all of his top 10 hits, along with two new songs, "Romeo's Tune" and "Got It Right This Time (The Celebration)."

In January 2008, Urban embarked on the Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Carnival Ride Tour with fellow country singer Carrie Underwood. In early May 2008, Urban debuted a new song at the Grand Ole Opry titled "A New Sunshine". And in late May 2008, Urban re-recorded a song from his sophomore CD, "You Look Good in My Shirt". The song was released on the radio at the end of May. "Over the years it ("You Look Good In My Shirt") has always played like a hit song," said Keith. "That, combined with numerous requests from both fans and radio about why it was never a single, inspired us to get back into the studio and re-record the song."(keithurban.net) The single was a pre-cursor to the "Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy World Tour" concert DVD release in the Fall of '08. Urban's newest release "Defying Gravity" was released 31 March 2009.

"You Look Good in My Shirt" was the first single from Keith Urban's re-recorded 2007 album, Greatest Hits: 18 Kids. The album was released under a different title, Greatest Hits: 19 Kids on 19 August 2008. Keith Urban was also featured on Brad Paisley's instrumental album titled Play, on a song called "Start a Band."

Defying Gravity

Urban recently announced that the lead single for his forthcoming 5th studio album will be titled "Sweet Thing". This song became the first No.1 single off the album. The song was co-written with Monty Powell, who wrote some of Urban's past hits, and co-produced with his longtime producer Dann Huff. The album, Defying Gravity, was released on 31 March 2009, through Capitol Records. Its second single, "Kiss a Girl",[9] debuted in March 2009. Urban performed this song on American Idol, during the season 8 finale, as a duet with eventual winner Kris Allen. Its third single, "Only You Can Love Me This Way", is another chart-topping song, co-written by Steve McEwan and John Reid.[10] Defying Gravity debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200. This was Urban's first No.1 CD. His past two albums debuted at #3.

Keith Urban has received four nominations on the 2009 CMA Awards, including Entertainer Of The Year and Male Vocalist Of The Year for a fourth consecutive year in a row. He also earned a nomination for Album Of The Year for Defying Gravity and shares a nomination with Brad Paisley for Music Video Of The Year for "Start A Band".

A video for "Hit The Ground Runnin'" premiered on 2 October on CMT and CMT.com.

Urban's 2009 Escape Together tour, supporting the album, Defying Gravity, featured many big name opening acts, including Taylor Swift, Sugarland, and Jason Aldean. On 27 June 2009 Keith filmed a video for the song, "Only You Can Love Me This Way", at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa.

On 5 May 2010, whilst being interviwed by CNN about the flooding in Nashville, Urban stated that he was about to begin recording a new album, but all his guitars were now underwater.

Urban's 2010 Summer Lovin' tour consisted of mostly festival shows.

Get Closer

In May 2010, Urban entered the studio to begin work on a new album.[11] The recording process was documented in a blog on his official website. At the beginning of September, it was announced that the album would be titled Get Closer and would see release on 16 November. At the same time, "Put You in a Song" was revealed to be the first single and was released digitally and to radio on 13 September.[12]

Keith Urban appeared at the 44th Annual Country Music Awards on 10 November 2010.[13]

To promote the new album, Keith played surprise concerts at New York City's Penn Station as well as a train station in Philadelphia. The impromptu concerts included a 4-song set list mixing in new and old hits.

On 30 November, Keith played a free concert at The Ice Palace of the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Fans lined up days in advance to hear him play the first single (Put You in a Song) from "Get Closer" and a short collection of past hits. He also played a tribute to Johnny Cash with "Folsom Prison Blues" and Steve Miller's "The Joker"

On 15 December, After appearing on Oprah's Australian special, Keith decided to play an acoustic set in Pitt St Mall in Sydney. There he played in front of 2500+ people. He also called up a young fan to play his single Put You In a Song.

Urban announced the "Get Closer – World Tour 2011", an Australian, American and Canadian tour in support of the album. His American tour features country artist Jake Owen supporting. The Canadian leg features The Band Perry as the opening act.

Urban also recorded a song titled "For You," which was featured as the theme song of the 2012 action film Act of Valor. It also appears on the film's soundtrack.

On 10 April 2012, Urban was asked to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry by Vince Gill at the third annual "All for the Hall" benefit concert which Urban organized. He will be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on 21 April 2012.

The Voice

On 23 November 2011, Urban was confirmed as one of the four vocal coaches in the upcoming Australian version of the reality singing competition The Voice.[14]

Personal life

Starting in 1992, Urban dated veterinary technician Laura Sigler for eight years. Urban proposed to Sigler in 2001, but the pair eventually split in 2002.[citation needed]

Urban met Australian actress Nicole Kidman at G'Day LA, a Hollywood event honoring Australians, in January 2005, but they reportedly didn't begin dating until 6 months later. Kidman and Urban were married on Sunday, 25 June 2006, at the Cardinal Cerretti Memorial Chapel on the grounds of St Patrick's Estate, Manly in Sydney.

On 19 October 2006, Urban checked himself into the Betty Ford Center in California. On 20 October, Urban issued a statement saying: "I deeply regret the hurt this has caused Nicole and the ones who love and support me. One can never let one's guard down on recovery, and I'm afraid that I have." On 18 January 2007, Urban announced his completion of rehab and his plans to go on tour to promote his new album, Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing.[15]

On 2 February 2007, Urban filed a lawsuit against a New Jersey painter by the same name, who has a web site KeithUrban.com. The singer wanted to acquire the rights to the URL.[16] Keith Urban the singer's URL is KeithUrban.NET. The painter counter sued.[17] The lawsuit was settled in the painter's favor.

On 1 October 2007, while riding, Urban skidded off his motorbike when a paparazzo followed him near his home in Sydney; Urban was not hurt. In a statement released by his publicists, Urban says the incident was "the result of one person's desire to do his job and my desire to maintain my privacy." Urban says he tried to avoid an oncoming car and dropped his bike. He says the photographer came to his assistance without taking photos.

On 7 January 2008, Nicole Kidman confirmed she and Urban were expecting their first child together. Kidman's publicist said "the couple are thrilled and cannot wait." Kidman gave birth to their first child, a daughter, Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, on 7 July 2008 in Nashville, Tennessee. She weighed 2.93 kg (6 lbs, 7.5 oz). On his website, Urban stated,

"Earlier this morning Nic gave birth to our beautiful baby girl, Sunday Rose Kidman Urban. We want to thank everybody that has kept us in their thoughts and prayers. We feel very blessed and grateful that we can share this joy with all of you today."[18][19]

On 28 December 2010, Urban and Kidman welcomed a second daughter, Faith Margaret Kidman Urban, via surrogate at Nashville's Centennial Women's Hospital. The baby is biologically Urban and Kidman's.[20] On 17 January 2011, Keith posted this statement on his website: "Our family is truly blessed, and just so thankful, to have been given the gift of baby Faith Margaret. No words can adequately convey the incredible gratitude that we feel for everyone who was so supportive throughout this process, in particular our gestational carrier."[21] Faith's middle name is after Kidman's late grandmother.[22]

Discography

Main article: Keith Urban discography
Keith Urban in Sydney

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Number one singles

A Released only in Australia, but later re-released independently in 2005.
B Re-released in 2008 as Greatest Hits: 19 Kids, with one track added.

Tours

Keith Urban in concert, 2007

Official Tours

  • Get Closer 2011 World Tour (2011) – supporting his seventh studio album, Get Closer, released on 16 November 2010
  • Summer Lovin' 2010 (2010) – supporting his sixth studio album, Defying Gravity, released on 31 March 2009
  • Escape Together World Tour 2009 (2009) – supporting his sixth studio album, Defying Gravity, released on 31 March 2009
  • Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Carnival Ride (2008) – supporting his fifth studio album, Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing touring with Carrie Underwood supporting her album Carnival Ride
  • Love, Pain & the Whole crazy World Tour (2007) – supporting his fifth studio album, Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing
  • Still Alive in 06 (2006) – supporting his fourth studio album, Be Here
  • Alive In 05 (2005) – supporting his fourth studio album, Be Here
  • Livin' Right Now Tour (2004) – supporting his fourth studio album, Be Here

Supporting Tours

  • Eagles Summer 2010 Tour (2010) – touring with The Eagles and The Dixie Chicks. It was announced on 16 March 2010 that Keith will be hitting the road with The Eagles and The Dixie Chicks for a North American stadium concert tour. 5 concert dates have been announced so far, which include Boston, and Chicago.[23]
  • Brooks & Dunn's Neon Circus & Wild West Show 2001

Band

Touring Band

2010–2011

Danny Rader (guitar, ganjo, mandolin, bazouki, piano, organ) has recently been added to Urban's touring band.

2010

After four years with the band, Chris Rodriguez and Brad Rice departed. Coming off the Escape Together World Tour, the two were told Urban would not be mounting big tours for awhile, and that a smaller band was all that was needed. The following band was from 2010 onwards for the CMT Crossroads and the Summerlovin Tour, as well as the tour with The Eagles:

2007–2009

The following band was used for Keith's Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Carnival Ride Tour (2008), Love, Pain & the whole crazy World Tour (2007) and the Escape Together World Tour (2009):

2005–2006

Jerry Flowers replaced Mark Hill as the bass player. Jerry was a member of The Ranch in 1997 and 1998.

2004

The following band was used for Keith's Be Here 2004 Tour:

  • Mark Hill – bass guitar
  • Steven King – piano, keyboards
  • Chad Jeffers – acoustic guitar, ganjo, mandolin, dobro
  • Chris Rodriguez – acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar, ganjo, mandolin, bass guitar, background vocals
  • Chris McHugh – drums, percussion

Pre-2004

The following band was used before 2004

Awards & honors

Year Awards Category
1977 Country Music Awards of Australia Best Solo Act (junior)
1978 Special Encouragement Award (10 years & under)[dubious – discuss]
1980 Best Junior Guitarist
1981 Best Gospel Singer
1982 Best Duet
Best Junior Guitarist
1983 Junior Male Vocalist
1990 Star Maker Award
1991 Golden Guitar Award
Best New Talent
1992 Golden Guitar Award
Male Vocalist of the Year
Golden Guitar Award (instrumentalist)
1997
1998
2001 Academy of Country Music Awards Top New Male Vocalist
Country Music Association Awards Horizon Award
ARIA Music Awards Outstanding Achievement award
VMA Awards Male Vocalist award
2003 ARIA Music Awards Country album of the year; Golden Road
BMI Awards Song of the Year; "Somebody Like You"
TCMA Awards Video Clip of the Year; "Somebody Like You"
2004 Country Music Association Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
FCMA Awards Best Foreign Music
2005 Academy of Country Music Awards Album of the Year; Be Here
Top Male Vocalist
French Association of Country Music Artist of the Year
ARIA Music Awards Country Album of the Year; Be Here
Country Music Association Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Entertainer of the Year
International Artist of the Year
Billboard Awards Top-selling Pop Catalog Album of the Year; Golden Road
2006 Grammy Awards Best Male Country Vocal Performance; "You'll Think of Me"
Academy of Country Music Awards Top Male Vocalist
French Association of Country Music Best Live Performance
Country Music Association Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
2007 ARIA Music Awards Best Country Album; Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing
2008 Grammy Awards Best Male Country Vocal Performance; "Stupid Boy"
2009 Academy of Country Music Awards Vocal Event of the Year; "Start A Band" (w/ Brad Paisley)
Country Music Association Awards Musical Event of the Year; "Start A Band" (w/ Brad Paisley)
CMT Music Awards Collaborative Video of the Year; "Start A Band" (w/ Brad Paisley)
American Music Awards Country – Favorite Male Artist
2010 Grammy Awards Best Male Country Vocal Performance; "Sweet Thing"
People's Choice Awards Favorite Male Artist
CMT Music Awards Best Male Video
2011 Grammy Awards Best Male Country Vocal Performance; "'Til Summer Comes Around"
Teen Choice Awards Choice Music: Male Country Artist

References

  1. ^ "Interview with Country Music Star Keith Urban". countrymusic.about.com. http://countrymusic.about.com/library/blkuinterview.htm. Retrieved 30 December 2009. 
  2. ^ Keith Urban on Saturday Night Country, ABC Radio, 7 June 2007
  3. ^ Mark Price, "Carolina Country Music," The Charlotte Observer, 13 August 2000.
  4. ^ "Up from Down Under" by Stephanie Mansfield, USA WEEKEND, 4 November 2001
  5. ^ Recommend to a friend. "ABC Television: Program summary – Concert For Slim:". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. http://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/netw/200412/highlights/245143.htm. Retrieved 2 June 2011. 
  6. ^ "Sing Like Slim". ABC Country. http://abccountry.net.au/news/sing-like-slim. Retrieved 2 June 2011. 
  7. ^ "PRLog". PRLog. http://www.prlog.org/10244858-bostons-own-debbie-and-friends-among-the-8th-annual-independent-music-awards-vox-populi-winners.html. Retrieved 2 June 2011. 
  8. ^ Independent Music Awards – 8th Annual IMA Judges[dead link]
  9. ^ "Keith Urban AOL Sessions Performance". Sessions.aol.ca. http://sessions.aol.ca/video/kiss-a-girl/keith-urban/696/. Retrieved 2 June 2011. 
  10. ^ Up for Discussion Jump to Forums. "Only You Can Love Me This Way – Keith Urban". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/song/keith-urban/only-you-can-love-me-this-way/12948930#/song/keith-urban/only-you-can-love-me-this-way/12948930. Retrieved 2 June 2011. 
  11. ^ "Keith Urban". Keith Urban. http://www.keithurban.net/index.php?page=album_blog&b_id=17273. Retrieved 2 June 2011. 
  12. ^ "Keith Urban". Keith Urban. http://www.keithurban.net/index.php?page=album_blog&b_id=19203. Retrieved 2 June 2011. 
  13. ^ "Keith Urban". TVGuide.com. 2 November 2010. http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/keith-urban/196692. 
  14. ^ "Judges announced for Aussie Voice". RTE.ie. http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/1123/thevoiceaus.html. Retrieved 23 November 2011. 
  15. ^ "Singer Urban ends rehab treatment". BBC News. 17 January 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6270247.stm. Retrieved 7 May 2010. 
  16. ^ "Keith Urban sues Keith Urban over web site". Billboard.biz. 7 February 2007. http://billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3if477e99d5c9afc6cb34884b6b1867e96. Retrieved 2 June 2011. 
  17. ^ Keel, Beverly, "Keith Urban countersues Keith Urban", The Tennessean[dead link]
  18. ^ Keith Urban.net | Keith Welcomes Sunday Rose Kidman Urban![dead link]
  19. ^ "Kidman's baby name mystery solved". BBC News. 9 July 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7497137.stm. Retrieved 7 May 2010. 
  20. ^ "Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban Welcome a Daughter!". People. 17 January 2011. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20458381,00.html. 
  21. ^ "New News Today!". Keith Urban. 17 January 2011. http://www.keithurban.net/news.html?n_id=46181. 
  22. ^ "Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban: 'Blessed' by Faith". People. 19 January 2011. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20458718,00.html. 
  23. ^ "Eagles band". Eagles band. 8 February 2011. http://www.eaglesband.com/. Retrieved 2 June 2011. 

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