More good news for country rocker Keith Urban! The husband of fellow Aussie and actress Nicole Kidman (the couple recently welcomed their first child, Sunday Rose, into the world) will hit the road in North America next spring in support of his upcoming as-yet-untitled new album, which is slated for release March 31 via Capitol Nashville. Although no dates have been confirmed, Urban is expected to kick off his tour in May 2009 and stay on the road through the summer. One single from the forthcoming record, “Sweet Thing,” has been released and recently earned Urban his first top 50 debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 43. According to Nielsen SoundScan, “Sweet Thing” has also sold over 64,000 downloads in its first two weeks of release. Urban has secured some of country's biggest stars as supporting acts for his various dates: Taylor Swift, Sugarland, Dierks Bentley, Glen Campbell, the Zac Brown Band and Lady Antebellum. Tickets will go on sale in early 2009, so check back with http://www.stubhub.com/keith-urban-tickets for Keith Urban tickets!



Although born in New Zealand, Keith Urban moved to Australia when he was young and it was there that he picked up a guitar at just six years old. Urban began taking lessons when a woman teaching how to play the guitar offered to teach the fledgling musician in return for free advertisement in his father's shop window. Urban was winning talent shows by the time he was eight and also became involved in a youth acting company that honed his dancing, acting and singing skills. Urban was introduced to artists like Dolly Parton, Glen Campbell, Don Williams and songwriter Jimmy Webb (“Galveston”) thanks to his father's passion for American country music, and he expanded his tastes to include Dire Straits and the guitar playing of Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham and Mark Knopfler.

Keith Urban burst onto the country music scene during the genre's early ‘90s resurgence in Australia with his long blonde locks and rock-meets-country sound, but continued to set his sights on the country Mecca of America—Nashville. Urban's debut album did well in Australia, but in 1997 he moved to Nashville with his Aussie band mate, drummer Peter Clarke, and formed the three-man band the Ranch. When the group's original bassist returned home to Australia, West Virginian Jerry Flowers filled in and the Ranch soon gained notoriety for their live shows, which highlighted Urban's guitar skills. After signing with Capitol Nashville and inking a management deal with I.R.S. Records founder and Police manager Miles Copeland, the Ranch released their eponymous debut album and received critical acclaim in 1997. When the group disbanded Urban was asked to lend guitar to several artists' records; he played on Garth Brooks' Double Live, the Dixie Chicks' sophomore album, and others.

After scoring a gig as a session player on one of Matt Rollings records, Urban asked the Nashville mainstay to produce his sophomore solo album and then hit the road opening for Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Dwight Yoakam. 10 years after making waves in the Australian country music capitol of Tamworth, Urban was lighting up the Nashville scene with several successful records like Golden Road, In the Ranch and Be Here. Urban was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance for “Rollercoaster” and hits like “It's a Love Thing” and “Your Everything” made their way onto the charts and radio airwaves. After releasing an anthology (Days Go By) and a live DVD (Livin' Right Now) in 2005, Urban made some major moves in his personal life in 2006 when he married fellow Aussie Nicole Kidman in June and then voluntarily entered rehabilitation for alcohol abuse in October. Despite postponing promotional appearances after his stint in rehab, Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing made its November release date. In July 2008 Kidman and Urban welcomed daughter Sunday Rose into the world and Urban appears to be back on track and ready for country take over. Hurry up and get your Keith Urban tickets before they're all gone.