Keith Urban Biography, Photos and Posters

Keith Urban

Biography

Born: October 26, 1967
City and Country of Origin: Whangarei, New Zealand
Music Training:
Awards: CMA 2006 CMA Male Vocalist of the Year; 2005 Entertainer of the Year; Male Vocalist of the Year; International Artist of the Year; 2004 Male Vocalist of the Year; 2001 Horizon Award; Grammy 2006 Best Male Country Vocal Performance, "You'll Think Of Me;"
Top Recordings: "But For The Grace Of God," "Somebody Like You," "Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me," "You'll Think of Me," "Days Go By," "Making Memories Of Us," "Better Life,"
Keith Urban Biography: Keith Lionel Urban, better known simply as Keith Urban is an Australian country music singer. Keith was born in Whangarei, New Zealand, though later moved with his parents to the state of Queensland, Australia. By age seven, Urban was already thinking about getting into the music business and making his mark in Nashville. He began learning the techniques at age six and began winning young singing contests by age eight. By twelve he was booking his band in local clubs, and at 15 he quit school to hit the road. In 1990, Urban signed with EMI in Australia and recorded his first solo album, which charted four No. 1 country hits in Australia. In 1992, he moved to Nashville to pursue the largest country music market in the world. Urban played back up guitar for country duo Brooks & Dunn for less than a year before forming The Ranch, a three-piece group that released one album in 1997 to critical acclaim. Originally the front man for The Ranch, Urban disbanded the group to pursue a solo career in 1998.

In Nashville, Keith became a frequent user of cocaine.[1] 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 2000, 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, he has performed as a session musician on albums such as Garth Brooks' Double Live, the Dixie Chicks' Fly, and Paul Brandt's This Time Around. He appeared semi-nude in photos accompanying an interview for Playgirl magazine and on the cover of the April 2001 issue.

Urban released Golden Road in 2002, and the success of the single "Somebody Like You" sent his career into high gear. The single spent eight consecutive weeks at the top of the charts, remaining at No. 1 longer than any other country artist in 2002. Touring as a supporting act for renowned country acts Brooks & Dunn 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 July 2, 2005 and had been chosen by The Gap to appear alongside seven other musical stars in their "Favorites" campaign. He was named the 2005 CMA's Entertainer 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 played 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 June 6th a UK only album Days Go By was released, this album contained songs from both Be Here and Golden Road.

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."

On Monday August 21, 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).

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, 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.

Urban met Australian actress Nicole Kidman at G'Day LA, a Hollywood event honouring Australians in January 2005. Kidman and Urban were married on Sunday June 25, 2006, at the Cardinal Cerretti Memorial Chapel in the grounds of St Patrick's Estate, Manly in Sydney.

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