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 Keith
Urban grew up in Australia with parents who loved American culture,
especially country music. The first records he heard were by Charley
Pride, Dolly Parton, Don Williams and Jim Reeves. He picked up a guitar
at age 6 and knew by 7 that he would go to Nashville to play country
music. By age 8, he was winning country music talent shows and had
steady work in a band as a teenager. After hearing the music of Dire
Straits, he bought the band's albums and learned every song note by
note. He began to throw what he learned into his solos onstage. The
resulting fusion of rock-style guitar work with country music has become
Urban's signature style.
In 1988, Urban formed a three-piece band whose distinctive take on
country music led to solid success in Australia. After charting four No.
1 country singles there, he made the move to Nashville. Once in Music
City, he formed another three-piece band, The Ranch. The trio's live
shows caused a buzz in town, eventually leading to a deal with Capitol
Nashville and a self-titled album in 1997. Critics raved about the
album's unique take on country music and Urban's virtuoso guitar
playing. Other artists also took notice, and when the group disbanded,
they called on Urban to add some of his fleet-fingered magic to their
records. Garth Brooks asked Urban to play on Double Live, and the Dixie
Chicks invited him to play on Fly.
Keith Urban Links
Urban
released his debut self-titled album in 2000 on Capitol Nashville.
Despite his somewhat grungy look, he was gradually accepted at radio
with “It’s a Love Thing,” “Your Everything” and the No. 1 “But for the
Grace of God.” (The latter was written by Urban and two members of the
Go-Gos.) He toured with Brooks & Dunn’s Neon Circus in early 2001 and
won the CMA Horizon award later that year.
Urban finished 2002 on a high note. “Somebody Like You,” the first
single from his album Golden Road spent six weeks at No. 1, and the
video featured supermodel Niki Taylor. In 2003, another single from the
album, "Who Wouldn't Want to Be Me," also reached No. 1. |
