keith urban

Biography

Keith Lionel Urban was born in Whangarei, North Island, New Zealand. Before he turned two years old his family moved to Australia. By age seven, Urban was already thinking about emigrating to America and making his mark in Nashville. Urban began to learning guitar at age six and began winning talent contests by age eight. By twelve he was booking his band in local clubs, and at fifteen 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. Originally the front man for The Ranch, a three-piece group that released one album in 1997 to critical acclaim, Urban disbanded the group to pursue a solo career.

In the late 90's Urban battled cocaine^[1] addiction. 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. Urban, widely regarded as a modern day guitar virtuoso, has performed as a session musician on albums such as Garth Brooks' Double Live and the Dixie Chicks' Fly.

In a bid for publicity, Keith appeared semi-nude in photos accompanying an interview for Playgirl magazine and on the cover of the April 2001 issue. This became the magazine's readers' most requested 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. Three other singles were released, two went to No. 1 and the third was No. 3. The album went platinum in every country where it has been released and is triple platinum in the United States. In 2004 Be Here was released and nominated for best country album at the Grammy Awards and at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Out of the five singles released from Be Here, three went No. 1, and two fell just shy of that mark to land at No. 2. In 2006 the album went triple platinum in the U.S. Urban has also released Days Go By, a greatest hits collection, in Europe. With a career total of 13 singles released, seven singles went to No. 1, two went to No.2, two went to No.3, one went to No. 4, and one went to No.18.

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 Keith Urban's first headlining arena tour titled Keith Urban Be Here '04. Urban continued his meteoric rise to fame in 2005 with a very successful tour with Katrina 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. Also, he was recently named the 2005 CMA's Entertainer of the Year. He released a DVD in late September entitled Livin' Right Now, recorded in California on December 2004. 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 gave two performances when he performed "Tonight I Wanna Cry" and played guitar for Brooks & Dunn's song "Believe."

On Monday, August 21, 2006, Keith made history when his new single "Once in a Lifetime" became the highest-debuting country single (#17) in the 62-year history of Billboard's country charts. The record was formerly held by Garth Brooks "Good Ride Cowboy", which debuted at #18 and Eddie Rabbitt's "Every Which Way But Loose". "Good Ride Cowboy" was the highest in the BDS era (1991-present).

Personal life

In 1992, Urban dated veterinary technician Laura Sigler. The pair shared an on and off relationship for eight years, and after proposing to Sigler in 2001, the pair broke up in 2002.

After Urban and Sigler broke up, Urban hooked up with supermodel Niki Taylor. The pair dated on and off for three years until they broke up in 2004.

On June 25, 2006, Urban married actress Nicole Kidman, in Sydney, Australia.

Discography

Albums

• 1991 Keith Urban (1991)
• 1997 The Ranch (with The Ranch)
• 1999 keith urban #145 US (Billboard 200) - #17 US BB Top Country Albums
• 2002 Golden Road #11 US (BB 200) - #2 US BB Top County Albums (108 wks on chart)
• 2004 In the Ranch (reissue) #34 US BB Top Country Albums
• 2004 Be Here #3 US (Billboard 200) - #1 US Billboard Top Country Albums (102 weeks & still counting))
• 2005 Days Go By (UK) #40 UK
• 2006 Love, Pain & the whole crazy thing

Singles

• Notes:

1. Keith Urban's first four singles were not released outside of Australia and therefore did not chart on any US charts.
2. "Somebody Like You" was #1 on the US Country Chart for 8 weeks.
3. "You Look Good In My Shirt" wasn't officially released as a single, but received enough radio airplay to chart.
4. "Days Go By" was #1 on the US Country Chart for 6 weeks.
5. "Making Memories of Us" was #1 on the US Country Chart for 5 weeks.
6. "Making Memories of Us" didn't chart on the US Adult Contemporary chart until 2006.
7. "You'll Think of Me" was #1 on the US Country Chart for 4 weeks.
8. "Better Life" was #1 on the US Country Chart for 6 weeks.
9. "Tonight I Wanna Cry" was #2 on Billboard's Hot Country Recurrents Chart 05-13-06
10. "Live to Love Another Day" like "You Look Good In My Shirt" wasn't officially released as a single, but is receiving enough airplay to chart. It's been on the BB chart for 13 weeks and counting.
11. "Once In a Lifetime" made history Monday (Aug. 21, 2006) when it became the highest-debuting country single (#17) in the 62-year history of Billboard's country charts.

Awards and achievements

Awards

• 1983 - CCMA Junior Male Vocalist
• 1990 - CMAA Star Maker Award
• 1991 - CMAA Golden Guitar/Best New Talent
• 1992 - CMAA Golden Guitar Male Vocalist
• 1992 - CMAA Golden Guitar Instrumentalist
• 1997 - CMAA Golden Guitar Instrumentalist
• 1998 - CMAA Golden Guitar Instrumentalist
• 2001 - CMAA Golden Guitar Instrumentalist
• 2001 - ACM Top New Male Vocalist
• 2001 - CMA Horizon Award (first non-American)
• 2001 - ARIA Outstanding Achievement Award
• 2001 - VMA Male Vocalist Award
• 2001 - Mo Australian Show Business Ambassador of the Year
• 2003 - ARIA Country Album of the Year (Golden Road)
• 2003 - Country Weekly Fan Favorite Award for Favorite New Artist
• 2003 - BMI Song of the Year Category for "Somebody Like You"
• 2003 - TCMA Video Clip of the Year - "Somebody Like You"
• 2004 - CMA Male Vocalist of the Year (first non-American)
• 2004 - FCMA Best Foreign Music
• 2005 - Voted Country Music's Hottest Bachelor by Country Weekly
• 2005 - #6 on OK! Magazine's Hollywood's Hottest Bachelor list
• 2005 - CMT Music Awards Video of the Year - "Days Go By"
• 2005 - ACM Album of the Year - "Be Here"
• 2005 - ACM Top Male Vocalist
• 2005 - French Association of County Music Artist of the Year
• 2005 - ARIA Country Album of the Year (Be Here)
• 2005 - CMA International Artist of the Year!
• 2005 - CMA Male Vocalist of the Year (Second year in a row)
• 2005 - CMA Entertainer of the Year (first non-American male. First non-American was Shania Twain in 1999)
• 2005 - XM Country Artist of the Year
• 2005 - XM "So You Wanna Be a Movie Star?" Artists We'd Like to See Crossover to Films
• 2005 - Radio Music Awards Artist of the Year
• 2005 - Billboard Music Award: Top-selling Pop Catalog Album of the Year "Golden Road"
• 2006 - Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for "You'll Think Of Me"
• 2006 - CMT Music Awards Video of The Year - "Better Life"
• 2006 - ACM Top Male Vocalist of the Year (Second year in a row)
• 2006 - Voted Country Music's Sexiest Man by Country Weekly.

Gold/Platinum singles, videos and albums

• 1999 - Self-Titled Keith Urban 1999 certified Platinum in 2003
• 2002 - Golden Road certified Triple Platinum in 2005
• 2002 - Somebody Like You certified Gold in 2005.
• 2004 - Be Here certified Triple Platinum in U.S., Double Platinum in Canada & Australia in 2006.
• 2004 - You'll Think of Me certified Platinum in 2005.
• 2005 - Days Go By (Import) certified Gold (Ireland)
• 2005 - Video Hits DVD certified Platinum
• 2005 - Livin' Right Now DVD certified Platinum in U.S. and Australia
• 2005 - Making Memories of Us certified Gold in 2005.
• 2005 - Days Go By certified Gold in 2005.

Albums/Videos Urban has performed on

• Anne Kirkpatrick - Out of the Blue - (ABC Australia)(1991): Vocals (bckgr)
• INXS - Live Baby Live (1991): Vocals (bckgr)
• Alan Jackson - "Mercury Blues" music video (1993): Solo Guitarist
• Cameron Daddo - Long Goodbye - (Massive Australia)(1993): Guitar and vocals
• Slim Dusty - Natural High (EMI Australia) (1994): Guitar
• All Australian Line Dance - Various Artists (1995): Guitar on "Lights on the Hill"
• Paul Jefferson - Paul Jefferson (1996): Guitar (Electric)
• Various Artists Twang!: A Tribute to Hank Marvin & (1996): Guitar, Performer
• The Ranch - The Ranch (1997): Ganjo, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Vocals (bckgr)
• Garth Brooks - Double Live (1998): Guitar (Electric)
• Charlie Daniels - Fiddle Fire: 25 Years of the Charlie Daniels Band (1998): Guitar
• John Mohead - Mary's Porch (1998): Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
• Various Artists - Not So Dusty (1998): Producer, Mixing
• Warner Music Aus/Country Sampler Vol 2 (1998): "Freedom's Finally Mine" The Ranch
• Charlie Daniels - Tailgate Party (1999): Guitar
• Dixie Chicks - Fly (1999): Guitar (Electric), Vocals (bckgr) "Some Days You Gotta Dance"
• Julie Reeves - It's About Time (1998): Guitar
• Tim Wilson - Gettin' My Mind Right (1999): Guitar
• Sons of the Desert - Change (2000): Ganjo
• Various Artists New Country, Vol. 7 (2000): Performer
• Various Artists Country Goes Raffi (2001): Multi Instruments, Producer
• Various Artists Totally Country (2002): Performer
• Various Artists Totally Country, Vol. 2 (2002): Producer
• INXS - Definitive INXS (2002): Vocals (bckgr)
• Olivia Newton-John - 2 (2002): Guitar - co-wrote and sang "Sunburned Country"
• Original Soundtrack - How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003): Producer (Somebody Like You)
• Neal McCoy - Luckiest Man in the World (2003): Guitar (Electric)
• Glen Campbell - Legacy 1961-2002 (2003): Author
• Various Artists Kids' Country Hits (2003): Guitar
• CMT Presents Most Wanted Vol. 1 (2003): "Where The Blacktop Ends"
• Amazing Grace Vol. III - Salute to Gospel (2003): Vocals "I'll Fly Away"
• Clay Walker - A Few Questions (2003): Guitar
• Katrina Elam - Katrina Elam (2004): Ganjo and Guitar on "No End In Sight"
• Richard Marx - My Own Best Enemy (2004): Guitar on "One Thing Left" & Guitar & bckgr vocals on "When You're Gone"
• Carolyn Dawn Johnson - Dress Rehearsal (2004): Acoustic Guitar, bckgr Vocals on "Die of a Broken Heart"
• Charlie Daniels - The Essential Super Hits of the Charlie Daniels Band (2004): Guitar
• Slim Dusty - Columbia Lane: The Last Sessions (2004): Guitar (Electric)
• Various Artists - Now That's What I Call Music #12 (2004): #12 "Somebody Like You"
• Various Artists - Now That's What I Call Music #17 (2004): "Days Go By"
• Various Artists - Now That's What I Call Music #18 (2005): "You're My Better Half"
• Various Artists - Now That's What I Call Music #19 (2005): "Making Memories of Us"
• Various Artists - Now That's What I Call Music #20 (2005): "You'll Think of Me"
• Paul Brandt - This Time Around (2004): Guitar on "Leavin"
• Dolly Parton - Those Were the Days (2005) - Duet on "Twelfth of Never"
• LeAnn Rimes - This Woman (2005): Guitar on "The Weight Of Love"
• Olivia Newton-John - Doubleplays (2005): Guitar
• Slim Dusty - Travellin Still/Columbia Lane (2005): Guitar
• Gap Commercial (2005) - "Most People I Know Think I'm Crazy"
• Cletus Judd - Tribute to Ray Stevens (2005): Guitar and duet with Heidi Newfield on "Gitarzan"
• A Musicares Person of the Year Tribute to James Taylor (10/03/2006): Country Road

• Keith Urban (1991) (Import): guitarist, writer, co-producer.
• Keith Urban (2000): vocals, guitarist, writer and co-producer.
• Keith Urban - Golden Road (2002): vocals, guitarist, ganjo, cardboard box, writer, and co-producer.
• Keith Urban - Be Here (2002): vocals, guitarist, writer, and co-producer.
• Keith Urban - Days Go By (2005)(Import): vocals, guitarist, writer, and co-producer.
• Keith Urban - Love, Pain & the whole crazy thing (2006): vocals, guitarist, writer and co-producer.

Songs Urban has written or co-written

1. Got It Bad – Keith Urban and Heather Field
2. Without You – Keith Urban
3. Yesterday – Keith Urban and G.M. Holden
4. Don't Go - Keith Urban and G.M. Holden
5. Hold On To Your Dreams - Keith Urban and G.M. Holden
6. Lovin' On The Side - Keith Urban and G.M. Holden
7. Future Plans – Keith Urban
8. Love We Got Goin' – Keith Urban
9. Clutterbilly - Keith Urban, G.M. Holden and Peter Clarke
10. The River - Keith Urban
11. What Love Is That Way – G. Burr and Keith Urban
12. I Never Work On A Sunday - Keith Urban
13. Walkin' The Country – Vernon Rust and Keith Urban
14. Homespun Love – Vernon Rust and Keith Urban
15. My Last Name – Vernon Rust and Keith Urban
16. Desiree – Vernon Rust and Keith Urban
17. Freedom's Finally Mine – Vernon Rust and Keith Urban
18. Hank Don't Fail Me Now – Vernon Rust and Keith Urban
19. Tangled Up In Love – Vernon Rust and Keith Urban
20. Ghost In His Guitar – Vernon Rust and Keith Urban
21. Billy – Gary Burr, Monty Powell and Keith Urban
22. It's A Love Thing - Monty Powell and Keith Urban
23. But For The Grace Of God – Charlotte Caffrey, Jane Giedlin and Keith Urban (#1 BB Country chart)
24. I Wanna Be Your Man (Forever) – Keith Urban
25. You're The Only One – Michael Weinstein, Stevie Jordan and Keith Urban
26. If You Wanna Stay – Keith Urban
27. Don't Shut Me Out – Keith Urban
28. Out On My Own - Vernon Rust and Keith Urban
29. Roller Coaster – Keith Urban and Matt Rollings
30. I Thought You Knew – Matt Rollings, Skip Ewing and Keith Urban
31. Somebody Like You – John Shanks and Keith Urban (#1 BB Country chart)
32. Who Wouldn't Want To Be Me – Monty Powell and Keith Urban (#1 BB Country chart)
33. Whenever I Run – Shelly Peiken, John Shanks and Keith Urban
34. What About Me – Keith Urban and Rodney Crowell
35. You're Not Alone Tonight – Keith Urban
36. You Won - Rodney Crowell and Keith Urban
37. Song For Dad – Keith Urban
38. You're Not My God – Paul Jefferson and Keith Urban
39. One Chord Song – Keith Urban
40. Days Go By – Monty Powell and Keith Urban (#1 BB Country chart)
41. Better Life – Richard Marx and Keith Urban (#1 BB Country chart)
42. God's Been Good To Me – Keith Urban
43. You're My Better Half – John Shanks and Keith Urban
44. I Could Fly – John Shanks and Keith Urban
45. Tonight I Wanna Cry – Monty Powell and Keith Urban
46. She's Gotta Be – Monty Powell and Keith Urban
47. Live to Love Another Day – Darrell Brown and Keith Urban
48. These Are The Days – Monty Powell and Keith Urban
49. Once In A Lifetime - John Shanks and Keith Urban
50. Shine – Monty Powell and Keith Urban
51. I Told You So – Keith Urban
52. Won’t Let You Down – Keith Urban
53. Faster Car – Keith Urban
54. Used To The Pain – Darrell Brown and Keith Urban
55. Raise The Barn (Featuring Ronnie Dunn) – Monty Powell and Keith Urban
56. Tu Compañia – Monty Powell and Keith Urban
57. Everybody – Richard Marx and Keith Urban
58. Got It Right This Time – Keith Urban
59. Sometimes Angels Don’t Fly – Keith Urban
60. I Made It Through The Day – Keith Urban
61. Kiss The Rain Goodbye – Keith Urban
62. Another One of a Kind – Charles Harmon Jones and Keith Urban
63. At the Mercy of the Sea – Charles Harmon Jones and Keith Urban
64. Breakin Me – Tia M. Sillers and Keith Urban
65. Coming Back Again – Gordon Scott Kennedy, Wayne Kirkpatrick and Keith Urban
66. Day Like Today – Keith Urban and Troy Verges
67. Don’t Know What I’m Running From – Chas Sanford, Thomas J. Schuyler and Keith Urban
68. Everything Means Nothing – Dean M. Grakal and Keith Urban
69. Everything Reminds Me of You – Kostas and Keith Urban
70. Finally on Our Way – Kostas and Keith Urban
71. Going Home Again – Kostas and Keith Urban
72. Greenest Grass – Vernon Rust and Keith Urban
73. It’s All Right – Marcus Hummon and Keith Urban
74. Jesus Gets Jealous of Santa Claus – Vernon Rust and Keith Urban
75. Kill the Man – Jerry Flowers, Jody Alan Sweet and Keith Urban
76. Love – Austin Tyler Meade and Keith Urban
77. Make Your Move – Dean M. Grakal, Steven A. Jordan and Keith Urban
78. Never Too Far Gone – Robert E. Economou, Robert D. McTaggart and Keith Urban
79. Shelby County Jail – Vernon Rust and Keith Urban
80. Sunburned Country (or Sunburnt Country) – Olivia Newton-John and Keith Urban
81. That was Him This is Now – Vernon Rust and Keith Urban
82. Two By Four – Donald Pat Mac, Vernon Rust and Keith Urban
83. Under the Influence of Love – Harley Allen and Keith Urban
84. Whatever Happened to the Good – Jean Marc Charron and Keith Urban
85. Wicked Heart – Kostas and Keith Urban
86. Yeah She Does – Hugh Scott Murray and Keith Urban
87. You Oughta Know – William Sherwood Crain and Keith Urban
88. Someday Soon - Keith Urban
89. She Does - Hughie and Keith Urban
90. Coming Back Again - Keith Urban and ????

• tracks 1 – 12 found on “Keith Urban” (1991) Import
• tracks 13 – 21 found on “The Ranch”
• tracks 14, 17 & 19 can also be found on “All That I Am” by Daniel Lee Martin
• tracks 22 – 30 found on “Keith Urban” by Keith Urban
• tracks 31 – 39 found on “Golden Road” by Keith Urban
• tracks 40 – 48 found on “Be Here” by Keith Urban
• tracks 49 - 58 found on "Love, Pain & the whole crazy thing" by Keith Urban (release date of 11/07/06)
• track 59 can be found on “All That I Am” by Daniel Lee Martin
• track 74 can be found on “Christmas to Christmas” by Toby Keith
• track 75 can be found in the 1999 movie “Kill the Man”
• track 80 can be found on “Olivia (2) – The Duets Album” by Olivia Newton-John
• track 81 can be found on "Black Label" by Black Label (http://www.myspace.com/blacklabelbandsc)
• track 88 can be found on "Right About Now" by Ty Herndon (release date of 10/24/06)
• track 89 can be found on www.myspace.com/hughieonline.com
• track 90 can be found on "A Few Questions" by Clay Walker

Keith Urban Music Videos

• I Never Work on a Sunday (1991)
• Only You (1991)
• Alan Jackson's "Mercury Blues" (1993) Keith playing guitar
• Clutterbilly (1997)
• Walking In the Country (1997)
• It's a Love Thing (2000)
• Your Everything (2000)
• But for the Grace of God (2001)
• Where The Blacktop Ends (2001)
• Somebody Like You (2002)
• Raining on Sunday (2002)
• Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me (2003)
• You'll Think of Me (2004)
• Days Go By (2004)
• You're My Better Half (2004)
• Making Memories of Us (2005)
• Better Life (DVD version) (2005)
• Better Life (2005)
• Kenny Chesney's "Live Those Songs- Live"
• You'll Think of Me (European version) (2006)
• Tonight I Wanna Cry (2006)
• Once in a Lifetime (2006)

References

Notes

1. ^ "Up from Down Under" by Stephanie Mansfield, USA WEEKEND, November 4, 2001

External links

• Keith Urban at the Internet Movie Database
• Keith Urban lyrics
• Keith Urban Fansite
• Keith Urban Music Videos
• Keith Urban Profile