Country Love

His full name, Keith Lionel Urban, is an Australian country singer born on the 26th of October, in 1967 in New Zealand. Where he was raised in Whangarei, then by the age of 17 he moved to Australia to live with his parents, Robert Urban and Marienne Urban. His father had owned a convenience store which had a poster in the window for guitar lessons. Keith took the lessons from Sue McCarthy (married and now Crealey) who is still a very good friend of the family. He then began to enter local competitions, along with acting at a local theatre company. While taking the guitar lessons he said that his passion to play guitar was inspired by 2 famous rock players, Mark Knopfler from Dire Straits and Lindsey Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac. Also while living In Australia; he appeared on the Australian T.V show “New Faces” in 1983. He also, soon released one self-titled album before moving to Nashville in 1992 where he soon became an addict to cocaine. After he reached a low point in his life, he decided to quit his horrible habit and turn his life around, so he checked himself into Cumberland Heights, a rehab center in Nashville that helped him get over his addiction.

After letting go of his drug past, he formed a band known as “The Ranch” with drummer Peter Clarke and bassist Jerry Flower. The band released 1 self-titled album with Capitol Records Nashville. Also through the late 90’s he played guitar on many other artists’ albums, like Paul Jefferson, Tim Wilson, and Charlie Daniels. On his way to his solo career, he released a self-titled debut album in 1999, with Matt Rollings as his pianist. His fourth single on his album “Your Everything” made him the first male New Zealand performer to be on the top 10 on the US country charts.  His song “But for the Grace of God” written alongside Charlotte Caffey and Jane Weidlin became his very first number one hit on the charts.

After living in Nashville for many years, Keith soon moved to California, where he met his super model wife, Nicole Kidman. They met at G’Day LA, in January of 2005, an event in Hollywood honoring Australians but, as far as we know they did not officially become dating until 6 months after the event. Later, on the 25th of June 2006 (on a Sunday) they got married at the Cardinal Cerretti Memorial Chapel. But unfortunately a year later, Keith checked himself into another rehab center in California, The Betty Ford Center. Soon after releasing a statement saying

“I deeply regret the hurt this has caused Nicole and the ones who love and support me. One can never let ones guard down on recovery, and I’m afraid that I have”

 Then in 2008 on January 7th, after leaving rehab behind, Nicole had stated that they were expecting their very first child. Nicole’s publicist had stated that “the couple is thrilled and cannot wait.” Later that year, on the 7th of July, their gorgeous baby girl was born, and was soon named Sunday Rose Kidman Urban. Then on the 28th of December of 2010, their second baby girl was born.

Throughout Keith’s life, it’s obvious that he has had his share of ups and downs. Born and raised in New Zealand, going to school at the Sir Edmund Hillary College in Otara at the age of 13, moving to Australia and starting his career, learning to play guitar, releasing his very first album and moving to Nashville, only to become an addict of cocaine. Turning his life around to start a band and become a famous country singer, and then marry a gorgeous model Nicole, and gain 2 beautiful daughters. Now he is an extremely successful singer songwriter and guitarist, winning many awards, and being noticed by many for his guitarist skills. Keith Urban overall, in few words, is nothing less than amazing.