Keith Urban
Australian Country Music Star

Although he is considered an Australian country music singer Keith Urban was in fact born in New Zealand on 26th October 1967.

He began his career in Australia though at an early age, won several talent shows, joined a country band and went on to release his first self-titled debut album in 1988.

Keith's success has mainly been in the United States, Canada and Australia.

Following the success of that first Australian album Keith moved to the US in 1992 and found work as a session guitarist before starting a band known as The Ranch, which recorded one studio album from which 2 singles made it to the Billboard country charts.

The Ranch, made a huge splash in Nashville, and the group released a second album in 1997 to commercial acclaim.

Shortly thereafter, Keith Urban decided to leave the band to pursue his own solo career. His talents were quickly recognized by some of the biggest names in country music, including Garth Brooks and the Dixie Chicks.

In the year 2000 another solo album was released, which featured the No. 1 hit "But for the Grace of God" and in the following year he was named "Top New Male Vocalist" at the Country Music Association Awards in America.

His second album in 2002 "Golden Road" included two more No. 1 singles: "Somebody Like You" and "Who Wouldn't Want to Be Me".

At that stage of his career Keith hit the road touring with such big country music names as Brooks & Dunn and Kenny Chesney and then in 2004 headlined his own tour.

The following year, he was named the Country Music Association's "Entertainer of the Year," 'Male Vocalist of the Year" and "International Artist of the Year."

In early 2006, Keith Urban won his first Grammy Award for best male country vocal performance for "You'll Think of Me." He also received the CMA's "Male Vocalist of the Year" and the Academy of Country Music's "Top Male Vocalist" honours.

later in the year married Australian actress Nicole Kidman in Sydney.

Keith Urban's next album was titled "Love, Pain & The Whole Crazy Thing" which was released also in 2006 and around the same time he voluntarily checked himself into a rehabilitation facility.

While he may have been struggling personally his music and work continued to thrive. The 2006 album spawned several big hits, including "Once in a Lifetime" and "Stupid Boy," which won a Grammy for best male country vocal performance in 2008.

Later that year Keith released a greatest hits collection and toured extensively.

That summer, however, he took a break from his hectic schedule to celebrate a joyous event, he and wife Nicole welcomed a baby girl, Sunday Rose born on July 7th 2008.

Meantime the Keith Urban hits just kept on coming. In 2009 there was another album, "Defying Gravity" which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200. The single from the album, "Sweet Thing," immediately hit No. 1 while the album's second single, "Kiss a Girl," was performed during the season 8 finale of the singing-competition show American Idol, as a duet with the show's winner, Kris Allen.

Keith performed at the CMA Awards again in 2009 and received several honours for his music and work.

He was also named country music's "Favourite Male Artist" at the American Music Awards and in 2010 received his third Grammy Award for best male country vocal performance for the song "Sweet Thing."

Keith and Nicole welcomed their second daughter, Faith Margaret, in December 2010.

He also received his fourth Grammy award as best male country vocal performance the following year, for the single "'Til Summer Comes Around."

In 2012 Keith Urban was re-introduced to Australian audiences as a judge on the critically acclaimed reality TV show "The Voice" and the followers of the program loved him. As a judge he showed great empathy with the contestants, a depth of knowledge of music of all genres and a deep understanding of what each contestant was experiencing as they tried to achieve success in the world of music and entertainment.

His performance on the program was so good that in 2012 Keith was chosen as a new judge for season 12 of American Idol which premiered on the American and Australian networks in January 2013. He is currently starring on that show alongside other big name celebrities Randy Jackson, Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj.

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