Keith Urban Totally Explained

Everything about Keith Urban totally explained

Keith Urban (born Keith Lionel Urban', 26 October 1967, New Zealand), is the son of Polish immigrants and a New Zealand-born Australian Grammy Award winning country music singer. Urban means "city," in Polish indicating his parents were born in a larger city of Poland, as opposed to the country. Urban began his career in Australia, having moved there at an early age; in 1991, Urban 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 founding a group known as The Ranch, which recorded one studio album on Capitol Records and charted one single on the Billboard country charts.In 1996 he appeared on the tribute album to Hank Marvin and The Shadows "Twang" playing the instrumental "Dance On".
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 third 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, earning Urban's second Grammy for the song "Stupid Boy", while a Greatest Hits package entitled followed in 2008.
To date, Urban has released a total of seven 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 seven Number Ones. A multi-instrumentalist, Urban plays acoustic and electric guitar, as well as ganjo, bass guitar, mandolin, piano, bouzouki, and papoose.

Biography

Keith Urban was born in Whangarei, New Zealand, though later moved with his parents to Caboolture, 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, 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 Nashville, Urban became a frequent user of cocaine. 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, he's performed as a session musician on albums such as Charlie Daniels, Emerson Drive, Garth Brooks' Double Live, Dixie Chicks' Fly, and Paul Brandt's This Time Around.
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 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 6 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."
   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.
   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 July 7, 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 isn't a political issue, and what he's 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,, on November 20, 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.

Personal life

In 1992, Urban dated veterinary technician Laura Sigler for eight years. Urban proposed to Sigler in 2001 but the pair eventually split in 2002.
   Urban also dated former supermodel Niki Taylor on and off from 2002-2004.
   Urban met Australian actress Nicole Kidman at G'Day LA, a Hollywood event honouring Australians, in January 2005 but they didn't begin dating until 6 months later. 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.
   On Oct. 19, 2006, Urban checked himself into the Betty Ford Center in California. On Oct. 20, 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 Jan. 18, 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. .
   On Feb. 2, 2007, Urban filed a lawsuit on a New Jersey painter by the same name, who has a web site http://www.keithurban.com. The singer wants to acquire the rights to the URL.. Keith Urban the singer's URL is http://www.keithurban.net. The painter has countersued.
   On October 1, 2007, while headed to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, Urban skidded off of his motorbike when a paparazzo followed him near his home in Sydney; Urban wasn't 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 January 7, 2008, Nicole Kidman confirmed that she and Urban were expecting their first child together. Kidman's publicist said that "the couple are thrilled and can't wait." The baby is expected to be due in July.

Discography

Awards and achievements

Awards

1977 - CCMA Best Solo Act(Junior)
1978 - CCMA Special Encouragement Award (10 Years & under)
1980 - CCMA Best Junior Guitarist
1981 - CCMA Best Gospel Singer
1982 - CCMA Best Duet
1982 - CCMA Best Junior Guitarist
1983 - CCMA Junior Male Vocalist
1990 - CMAA Star Maker Award
1991 - CMAA Golden Guitar
1991 - CMAA Best New Talent
1992 - CMAA Golden Guitar
1992 - CMAA 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
2003 - ARIA Country Album of the Year (Golden Road)
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 - 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
2005 - CMA Entertainer 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 - ACM Top Male Vocalist of the Year
2006 - French Association of Country Music Award for Best Live Performance (this is his 4th FACM award)
2006 - CMA Male Vocalist of the Year
2007 - ARIA Country Album of the Year (Love, Pain & the whole crazy thing)
2008 - Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for "Stupid Boy"

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