Happy Birthday Keith Urban: All You Need To Know About the Country Superstar

Urban was born in Whangarei, North Island, New Zealand. But he spent his formative years in Australia. Urban loved music from an early age and especially had an affinity for country music. It was a passion his parents shared with Urban.

As a teenager, Urban realized he wanted to do more than just listen to music. He also wanted to play music and learned how to play the guitar. His sound gravitated the lines between rock and country. But he followed his love for country music, joining a band and winning several talent shows. He released his first album in Australia in 1991. But he realized if he wanted to be successful as he wanted, he would need to move to Nashville.

In Nashville, Urban joined a band called The Ranch. The group released a self-titled album in 1997, which was successful. But soon after, Urban parted ways with the band because he wanted to pursue a solo career. Only two years later, he released his first album in the United States. Like his album in Australia, Urban titled it after himself.

That album was Urban’s first taste of wide success. The single “But for the Grace of God” went No. 1 on the country charts. In 2001, the CMA Awards named Urban Top New Male Vocalist. A year later in 2002, Urban released his next album Golden Road, which included No.1 hits “Somebody Like You,” “You’ll Think of Me” and “Who Wouldn’ Want to Be Me.”

Urban toured with Brooks and Dunn and Kenny Chesney and also scheduled his own tour in 2004. That same year he released another studio album Be Here. In 2005, CMA named Urban a triple threat with Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and International Artist of the Year. He followed that success with his first Grammy Award in 2006. That same year he also won the CMA Award for Male Vocalist of the Year and ACM’s Top Male Vocalist.

While Urban continued to be successful as a performer, he faced a drug addiction behind the scenes. Urban developed the drug habit shortly after moving to Nashville. He said his drugs of choice were cocaine and ecstasy.

“I’d go to sleep, wake up a couple of hours later, go at it again, drinking to take the edge off,” Urban told The Boot. “I remember thinking, ‘I’m probably not going to make it until tomorrow.’ And then I thought, ‘F–k it. I really don’t care. It’ll be a relief to not have to. I’ll take an Ambien and at some point, I’ll pass. I was taking everything. I remember thinking, ‘Oh, good, this is the end of it, yahoo.’ I was quite happy about it.”

Urban thanked his wife Nicole Kidman for helping him kick his drug habit. The two had met at a G’Day Australia event. But Urban didn’t give Kidman a call until almost four months later. He said he thought she was out of his league, according to Pop Culture.

The two married in 2006. That same year, Kidman held an intervention and convinced Urban to check himself into rehab.

“I deeply regret the hurt this has caused Nicole and the ones that love and support me,” Urban said in a statement. “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.”

Two years later, the couple welcomed their first child Rose. In 2010, the couple had another daughter, Faith Margaret.

Urban continues to be prolific as a country musician. Over the course of his career, he has released 11 studio albums as well as 52 singles. His latest album The Speed of Now Part 1 released in September 2020. To date, Urban has also won four Grammy Awards for his music.

In addition to his career as a singer, Urban was a judge on American Idol for four seasons. From 2013 to 2016, Urban appeared on the show, stewarding the musical talent of hopefuls. He stayed with the show until it ended its initial run. Recently, Urban has been spending time with his family in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic.