Despite what most people think, Keith Urban was actually born in New Zealand. The studly singer-songwriter grew up in Australia, where he released a self-titled debut album and charted four singles. Thanks to that success, the entertainer quickly moved on to try his luck in Nashville.
He found work as a session guitarist before starting a band called The Ranch, the group recorded one studio album and charted two singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Urban made his solo American debut in 1999 with the album Keith Urban. Certified platinum in the United States, it spun off his first number one track with “But for the Grace of God.” The song “Somebody Like You” from his sophomore album Golden Road was named by Billboard as the biggest country hit of the 2000’s decade. The album’s fourth single, “You’ll Think of Me,” earned him his first Grammy Award.
In all, Urban has produced ten studio albums and eighteen number one hits over the span of his mind-blowing career. The 48-year-old country music star is also known for his reality TV roles as a coach on the Australian version of The Voice and as a judge on American Idol. Urban has been happily married to actress Nicole Kidman since 2006 and they have two young daughters together.
Enjoy these snapshots of the international heartthrob below!
