Keith Urban

July 24, 2023
Biographer Apter (Bad Boy Boogie) painstakingly traces Keith Urban’s rise from modest Australian roots to country music fame, his drug-filled detours on the way there, and his ever-evolving musical style. The son of a “country music devotee,” Urban was raised on a “love for the American dream and nursed a desire “to be the guy in the spotlight” after attending a “life changing” Johnny Cash concert at age five. Following stints singing and dancing on youth talent teams, Urban released his eponymous debut album in 1991 and moved to the U.S. the following year. Acclimating to the American music industry proved challenging, partly because his rock-inflected style made him a “square peg in the well-rounded country mainstream.” When a 1997 album with his band, The Ranch, flopped and put a “comet-sized dent in his confidence,” Urban sunk further into the booze and drug habit that had started when he’d moved stateside. After landing in rehab in 1998, Alcoholics Anonymous’s 12 steps became his “guiding lights,” and he found success as an opening act for country music stars, including Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, before winning the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Male Vocalist award in 2001 and appearing as a judge on American Idol. Apter meticulously captures the music industry hurdles Urban overcame on his way to success, and gives credit to his “single-channelled drive and stickability.” Urban’s fans will devour this deep dive.