Keith Urban
Keith Lionel Urban (born October 26, 1967 in Whangarei, New Zealand) is a highly successful country singer. He was raised in rural Caboolture, Australia before relocating to Nashville.
Urban began to learn the guitar at age 6 and began winning talent contests at age 8. 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. 2 country hits in Australia. In 1992, Urban moved to Nashville to pursue the largest country music market in the world. Originally the frontman 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.
Urban released his self-titled American debut in 2000, achieving three top 5 hits and securing the title of Top New Male Vocalist Award at the 2001 Academy of Country Music Awards. During this same developmental time period, Urban succumbed to addiction problems. After reaching a personal rock bottom, he checked into rehab and cleaned up.
Keith, openly regarded as a modern day guitar virtuoso, has performed as a session musician on albums such as Garth Brooks' Double Live and Dixie Chicks' Fly.
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 #1 longer than any other country artist in 2002. The album went platinum in every country where it has been released and is approaching triple platinum in the U.S.
In 2004 Be Here was released and nominated for best country album at the Grammy Awards and at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Urban has also released Days Go By, a greatest hits collection, in Europe.
Touring as a supporting act for reknowned country acts Brooks and 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 continues his meteoric rise to fame in 2005 with the very successful Alive in '05 tour. He performed in the Live 8 Philadelphia concert on July 2nd 2005 and has been chosen by The Gap to appear alongside seven other bright musical stars in their "Favorites" campaign. He released a DVD in late September entitled Livin' Right Now, recorded in California.
Discography
Albums
- 1991 Keith Urban (1991)
- 1997 The Ranch (with The Ranch)
- 1999 Keith Urban (1999) #145 US
- 2002 Golden Road #11 US
- 2004 In the Ranch (reissue of The Ranch but with added songs)
- 2004 Be Here #3 US
- 2005 Days Go By (UK) #40 UK
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | US Country | |||
| 2000 | "But for the Grace of God" | #37 | #1 | Keith Urban |
| 2000 | "Where the Blacktop Ends" | #35 | - | Keith Urban |
| 2001 | "Somebody Like You" | #23 | #1 (8 weeks) | Golden Road |
| 2002 | "Raining on Sunday" | #38 | - | Golden Road |
| 2003 | "Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me" | #30 | #1 | Golden Road |
| 2004 | "You'll Think of Me" | #24 | #1 | Golden Road |
| 2004 | "Days Go By" | #31 | #1 | Be Here |
| 2005 | "You're My Better Half" | #33 | - | Be Here |
| 2005 | "Making Memories of Us" | #34 | #1 | Be Here |
| 2005 | "Better Life" | #50 | #1 (1 week) | Be Here |
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
- 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
- 2004 - FCMA Best Foreign Music
- 2005 - CMT Music Awards Video of the Year - "Days Go By"
- 2005 - ACM Album of the Year - "Be Here"
- 2005 - ACM Top Male Vocalist
Gold/Platinum Albums
- 2003 - Self-Titled Keith Urban 1999 certified platinum
- 2004 - Golden Road certified triple platinum
- 2004 - Be Here certified Platinum
- 2005 - Video Hits DVD certified Platinum
- 2005 - Be Here certified double platinum
External links
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