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Quick Facts
- NAME: Keith Urban
- OCCUPATION: Songwriter, Guitarist, Singer
- BIRTH DATE: October 26, 1967 (Age: 45)
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Whangarei, North Island, New Zealand
- Full Name: Keith Lionel Urban
- AKA: Keith Urban
- ZODIAC SIGN: Scorpio
Best Known For
Grammy-award winning country music singer, songwriter and guitarist Keith Urban was named the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year in 2006.
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Keith Urban - Full Biography (44:25)
Keith Urban - Full Biography
Already a music star in Australia, Kiwi Keith Urban made the move to Nashville, Tennessee in 1992 to further his career in country music. Today he's one of the biggest names in music, with multiple Grammy Awards under his belt.
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Play NowKeith Urban. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 05:52, May 24, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/keith-urban-193217.
Keith Urban. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/keith-urban-193217 [Accessed 24 May 2013].
"Keith Urban." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 24 2013, 05:52 http://www.biography.com/people/keith-urban-193217.
"Keith Urban," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/keith-urban-193217 [accessed May 24, 2013].
"Keith Urban," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/keith-urban-193217 (accessed May 24, 2013).
Keith Urban [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 24] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/keith-urban-193217.
Keith Urban, http://www.biography.com/people/keith-urban-193217 (last visited May 24, 2013).
Keith Urban. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/keith-urban-193217. Accessed May 24, 2013.
Synopsis
Keith Urban decided to pursue a solo career in the late 1990s. In 2000, he released his first, self-titled solo album. In 2001, he was named the CMA's "Top New Male Vocalist." He toured in 2004, and was named CMA's "Entertainer of the Year" the following year. Urban won his first Grammy Award in 2006, and went on to receive three more Grammys. In 2012, Urban was chosen as a new judge for season 12 of the popular singing-competition show American Idol, premiering in 2013.
Early Life
Keith Lionel Urban was born on October 26, 1967, in Whangarei, North Island, New Zealand, and raised in Australia. The musician inherited a passion for American country music from his parents.
By the time he was a teenager, Keith Urban had won several talent shows and joined a country band. His signature style—a mix of rock guitar and country sound—emerged during those formative years. In 1988, he debuted his first album, which enjoyed success in his native Australia. It was time to cut his teeth in Nashville.
Success in Nashville
Urban's first Nashville band, the Ranch, made a huge splash, and the group released a self-titled debut album in 1997 to commercial acclaim. Shortly thereafter, Urban decided to leave the band to pursue a solo career. His talents were quickly recruited by some of the biggest names in country music, including Garth Brooks and the Dixie Chicks.
Solo Career
In 2000, Urban released his first self-titled solo album, which featured the No. 1 hit "But for the Grace of God." His second album, 2002's Golden Road, included two more No. 1 singles: "Somebody Like You" and "Who Wouldn't Want to Be Me." In 2001, he was named "Top New Male Vocalist" at the Country Music Association Awards.
After touring with the likes of Brooks & Dunn and Kenny Chesney, Urban headlined his own tour in 2004. The following year, he was named the CMA's "Entertainer of the Year," "Male Vocalist of the Year" and "International Artist of the Year." In early 2006, Urban won his first Grammy Award (best male country vocal performance) for "You'll Think of Me." Also in 2006, he was received the CMA's "Male Vocalist of the Year" and the Academy of Country Music's "Top Male Vocalist" honors.
In June 2006, Urban married actress Nicole Kidman in their native Australia.
Personal Issues
Urban's next album, Love, Pain & The Whole Crazy Thing, was released in the fall of 2006. Around the same time, the musician voluntarily checked himself into a rehabilitation facility. "I deeply regret the hurt this has caused Nicole and the ones that love and support me," Urban said in a statement, according to People magazine. "One can never let one's guard down on recovery, and I'm afraid that I have. With the strength and unwavering support I am blessed to have from my wife, family and friends, I am determined and resolved to a positive outcome."
While struggling personally, Urban continued to thrive professionally. His 2006 album spawned several hits, including "Once in a Lifetime" and "Stupid Boy," which won a Grammy for best male country vocal performance in 2008.
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