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Born Whangarei, North Island, New Zealand
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as a teenager Keith Urban had won several talent shows and joined a country band.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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June 2006, Urban married actress Nicole Kidman in their native Australia.
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In the summer of 2008 Keith's first child was born.
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In 2012, Urban was chosen as a new judge for season 12 of American Idol, premiering in January 2013. More recently, he has worked alongside Jennifer Lopez and Harry Connick Jr. to help find the country's best performers.
