Keith Urban

by Jeff Apter

In this definitive biography of Keith Urban, music biographer Jeff Apter presents the legendary Australian country star turned international superstar whose career spans the Nashville music scene, American Idol, The Voice, and much more, including the highs and lows along the way.

Keith Urban came from humble origins. His father worked at the local landfill and Keith was a high school dropout. But Keith had a plan: conquer Nashville. “It’s my destiny,” he said. And Keith was hell-bent on scaling that musical Everest. Whatever it took.

It didn’t come easy. Keith served his apprenticeship in the beer barns of Australia, and his early trips to America were disastrous. But he never gave up, settling in Nashville in the 1990s and forming The Ranch. When the band fell apart, so did Keith, ending up in rehab (not for the last time). But Keith did eventually reach the top, through a combination of talent, charisma, sex appeal, dogged perseverance—and skin thick enough for a rhino. And along the way he married Nicole Kidman.

As Keith has said, “All those detours, the really dark ones, got me to where I am now. I would not want to change one leaf on any tree in the whole journey.”

Keith Urban is the definitive biography of an international superstar.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Music, Audiobook

164 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 16, 2023

About the author

Jeff Apter is the author of more than 30 books, many dealing with the world of music. He has written biographies of Keith Urban, Malcolm and Angus Young of AC/DC, Jeff Buckley and the Bee Gees. As ghostwriter, he has worked with ARIA Hall of Famers Kasey Chambers and Richard Clapton, and AC/DC’s Mark Evans. He was also the creative consultant for the award–nominated live production A State of Grace: The Music of Jeff and Tim Buckley and spent four years on staff at Rolling Stone Australia.

Reviews

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I basically knew nothing about Keith Urban except that he was a country music star and was married to Nicole Kidman when I picked up this book. My daughter loves his music but I didn't know any of his songs. As I read the book I listened to quite a few songs and found that I like his music too.

Description:
In this definitive biography of Keith Urban, music biographer Jeff Apter presents the legendary Australian country star turned international superstar whose career spans the Nashville music scene, American Idol, The Voice, and much more, including the highs and lows along the way.

Keith Urban came from humble origins. His father worked at the local landfill and Keith was a high school dropout. But Keith had a plan: conquer Nashville. “It’s my destiny,” he said. And Keith was hell-bent on scaling that musical Everest. Whatever it took.

It didn’t come easy. Keith served his apprenticeship in the beer barns of Australia, and his early trips to America were disastrous. But he never gave up, settling in Nashville in the 1990s and forming The Ranch. When the band fell apart, so did Keith, ending up in rehab (not for the last time). But Keith did eventually reach the top, through a combination of talent, charisma, sex appeal, dogged perseverance—and skin thick enough for a rhino. And along the way he married Nicole Kidman.

As Keith has said, “All those detours, the really dark ones, got me to where I am now. I would not want to change one leaf on any tree in the whole journey.”

Keith Urban is the definitive biography of an international superstar.

My thoughts:
This was a great biography of Keith Urban's life from a child in Australia to present day. He's a likeable man with a great love for music. I find it so amazing that many musicians seem to know from the time they are a child that they will be musicians and the lengths they will go to accomplish their dream. Such was the case with Keith Urban. I liked that the biography followed both his accomplishments and his failures and what he learned from them. I enjoyed the detail of some of his feelings about the music industry and his gratitude to others for assistance provided along the way. Keith Urban has a tremendous number of awards to his name! This was an interesting journey to read and I'm glad I picked up the book.

Thanks to Kensington Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on September 26, 2023.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a Country Music fan and Keith Urban is one of my favorites. I knew he had a rough childhood, addictions and triumphed over those adversities to become a Star. He is the most gifted guitarist I have ever heard, and his songs touch my soul. Unfortunately, this book isn't about the soul touch I feel and hear when I listen to Keith's music. It's about the minutia Keith endured that made him the musician who took Nashville by storm after a lot of long hard work. Somewhat interesting, but not what I really wanted to know about Keith Urban. This book is focused more on his industry journey rather than his personal journey. I wanted to know more about the man.

The first half of the book delt with Urban's troubles childhood and his striving for recognition in Australia's Country Music scene. It was not an easy fit. As the song goes Keith was a little bit country and a little bit rock n' roll. But, above all, Keith Urban was destined for Nashville. And, once in Nashville, it was a tough scene for an Aussie to break into. Keith paid his dues and a lot more for the recognition he achieved.

The second half of the book delt with meeting and falling in love with Nicole Kidman and how his addictions almost cost him his marriage and career. When Keith finally got clean and sober after his third trip to rehab his career went into orbit with some of the best music he ever produced.

The book is written in a straight timeline from Keith's birth through the Covid pandemic years. If you want the facts and the names that made Keith's career it is all here, and I do mean ever minute detail. The author obviously did no personal interviews with Keith, Nicole or anyone else connected with Keith Urban. All the information provided is publicly available data. It made for a rather dry reading. But, as the author stressed, Keith Urban is a very private man who guards his privacy and personal life closely. 3 1/2-Stars

My thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

[Ink_Drinker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've seen Keith Urban in concert twice and I loved everything about this book!!  I think anyone can enjoy the story of a man who has overcome so much to achieve his dreams.  Urban's unwavering gratitude and humility shine through in his story and his candidness about his experiences was truly refreshing.

[Chantal Côté · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a country fan but I do like Keith Aruban and wanted to know more about his life and career. It felt more like reading a newspaper article than a biography as the author did not allow us a lot of personal information. I do hope one day the singer chooses to publish his autobiography to get a better feeling of his emotions.

I did learn and I will follow his career more steadily now.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher fro granting me a complimentary e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Chad Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeff Apter's forthcoming (Sept 26, 2023) biography, "Keith Urban," offers a captivating glimpse into the life and career of one of country music's most iconic and enduring figures. Apter paints a vivid portrait of Keith Urban, taking readers on a journey from his humble beginnings in Australia to his global superstardom. One of the book's strengths is its ability to provide an intimate look at Urban's personal and professional struggles. Apter doesn't shy away from discussing the challenges Keith faced, from his early battles with addiction to the ups and downs of his romantic relationships, including his now long-time marriage to, and children with, wife Nicole Kidman. This candid approach humanizes the country star and makes him relatable to readers, even if they aren't die-hard country music fans, as I am really not. Apter also delves deep into the musical evolution of Keith Urban. The book provides fascinating insights into his influences, songwriting process, and the development of his distinctive guitar-playing style. Music enthusiasts will appreciate the detailed exploration of his albums and the collaborations that shaped his sound. For those who don't know a lot about Urban, you may be amazed to find how accomplished a guitarist and vocalist he is, having won numerous peer-level awards over the past two decades. While "Keith Urban" offers a wealth of information, it maintains a brisk pace, making it an engaging read from start to finish. Apter's storytelling prowess keeps the narrative flowing smoothly, ensuring that the book never feels bogged down by facts and figures. This is a must-read for fans of the country music genre and anyone interested in the journey of a determined artist who conquered the odds to become a global superstar. Apter's meticulous research and compelling storytelling make this biography an engaging and enlightening exploration of Keith Urban's life and career.

[Dawne Mccurry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge Keith Urban fan and have seen him live 4 glorious times…one of the concerts was even mentioned in this book!!!

This book confirms what I hoped about Keith. He is a talented, generous and all-around nice guy who can play the heck out of a guitar!!!

From his upbringing in Australia and his single-minded goal to get to Nashville to his rise to stardom I enjoyed all of the details of his amazing life.

This is definitely a must-read for Keith fans!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the chance to read and review this wonderful book!

[Leigh Gaston · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars
Expected to like this one but it wasn’t what I was hoping for at all. A few interesting tidbits along the way but overly long with a lot of detail in which I had little interest. I started skimming toward the end of the book to finish it and move on to a different book.

[Neens West · Rating 2 out of 5]

Grabbed from library shelf out of curiousity, and the timing.

It was interesting to read that the first time Keith met Nicole, he felt she was "otherworldly" and seemed to float across the room; and that he was not worthy of her.

Skimmed a lot of it so probably not a fair review.

[Sally L. Conway · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Keith and this book gave me so much info on him and his life and music that I never knew. Read it !

[Diane Merritt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story of the life of Keith Urban
Always been a big fan.of his music that's why I wanted to read this. It was very interesting hearing about all aspects of his life and the people who helped him along the way.
Alot of names included in this story and once inawhile a little back story of some other superstars as well.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeff Apter, Keith Urban, Kensington Books Citadel, September 2023.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

Jeff Apter has adopted an incisive and detailed, but accessible style which suits his topic – an Australian boy from Caboolture who wanted to succeed in Nashville. In particular, Apter has given the reader so much information about why the various people, as well as Keith Urban, might have acted as they have, but does not pass judgement. This is a style that enhances the biography in which Urban’s attempts at rehabilitation, his behaviour toward managers, bands, other performers, his marriage and attitudes towards expressing himself, are covered. There are plenty of clues to dwell upon as to why an attitude, behaviour or event might have occurred – but there is no overt or covert opinion expressed by this most delicate of biographers. I enjoyed the Australianness of the early chapters, they give Urban a background that cannot be eradicated by his life in America, and this resonates as a reality. At the same time, Nashville becomes an experience for those who know little about it, along with the development of a style of music that has changed over the period. So, too, do we learn about Urban as a songwriter, a man struggling towards success, and then eventual success in his personal and public life and someone as at home in each of the various spheres he now works and lives in.

Professional success did not come easily to Urban, and the stories of his work from a young age in Australia, move to Nashville to live out his dream, successes and failures are compelling reading. That Urban was successful in Nashville before becoming known and well regarded in Australia is interesting reading, particularly when the likes of Slim Dusty and other Australian icons were part of his Australian experience.
Personal success was also elusive, although Apter writes of Urban’s various relationships, always dealing with them sensitively. Nicole Kidman’s impact on Urban, and his on her, is also covered thoughtfully. This is a biography that, while being truth telling and making a picture of Urban, his family and friends that is open, also avoids gossip and maliciousness. There appears to be no resiling from the reality of Urban, his life and his attitudes, but what is presented is a story about Urban that is readable, and begs to be read.

And then, the music and song writing – what a history of the period through this medium is presented by Apter. Alongside the personal story there is such a wealth of information about the way in which styles were adapted and enhanced, bands were brought together, and recordings were made. As I read about Urban and his music I thought of the Ken Burns documentary, Country Music, and how enthralling I found it despite my lack of interest in country and western music in general. The story of Urban’s music and country music and its development is also well rendered by Apter, making a fine contribution to understanding Urban and his work.

Jeff Apter’s biography of Keith Urban is a readable, fascinating and informative work. I am pleased to have read it and shall look for more of this author’s writing.

[Laura Hundley]

Keith Urban
Written By Jeff Apter
Release Date September 26, 2023


This was an all around great book about an artist I honestly knew nothing about. I have heard his music and am not really a country music fan but I am a fan of Jeff Apter. He has authored several books that I have thoroughly enjoyed and really wanted to see what was in store for this book. There was so much that I did not know about Keith Urban. The only real things I knew were that he is a country music musician, he struggled with addiction and he is married to Nicole Kidman. After reading this book, I learned way more such as how he persevered to get where he is now with hard work and dedication. He also has not let the fact that he is famous go to his head. People talked about how humble he is and that he stand firm in his roots.

Apter, of course, delivered a hit when he chose to write this book. It is very detailed and ambiguous in the sense that you can take away many things from the book in general. The chapters flow very well ’ the book was a quick read for me. Once started I could not stop until I finished due to the interestingly way that it is written. Starting from Urbana’s humble beginnings to his worldwide stardom. I loved how the author built up each aspect of Urban’s life and allowed the reader to see more than a glimpse into the life of the man who is Keith Urban.


Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kudos to the author for a really interesting autobiography of Keith Urban. He has led a really interesting life. His home completely burned to the ground when he was young. He kept on keeping on. Keith is an absolutely gifted guitarist. He (seemingly with his parents support) decided he didn't need to finish high school and that his obsession with music would pay off. So he decided to head to Nashville; which wasn't quite as easy as it sounded to this 'kid" on his own trying to make it work in the United States.

I was wondering if this book would bring up Keith's addictions. It does.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review the advance review copy of Keith Urban in exchange for an honest review. I do like country music, but I'm not a fanatic. (I have not purchased (or downloaded) a record/CD in decades.) But I do like a good memoir/biography and this is a good one. In many ways it (almost) reads like fiction. Super interesting.

What would make this book better? Pictures. Maybe sneak in the Playgirl photo shoot (kidding ... kind of).

Many thanks to the author Jeff Apter and publisher Kensington Books for approving my request for the advance read copy.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This biography is extremely detailed, and really for big fans of Keith Urban. I mostly wanted to read about his Brisbane childhood, and his marriage to Nicole Kidman. This book describes his meteoric, but tortuous rise to stardom in the U.S., his struggles with addiction, and his marriage to the beautiful Nicole. Keith was inspired by his Dad, a country music lover, to dream of Nashville, but he had a hard time getting ahead from a poor childhood in SE Qld. At one stage, the family house burned down, and they had to be helped by charities. The all-round good Aussie guy never forgot this, and he is a big giver to charity now. His father was an alcoholic, and they had a somewhat troubled relationship, but he really loved him.

Keith's had a few well-known stints in rehab. Nicole saved him last time, and she seems to be a real angel, as well. Keith just sounds like a lovely guy, as well as a great musician, so anyone looking for scandal here can forget it! I enjoyed reading most of this book, but some of it went into too much detail for me.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Reneta]

I have seen Keith Urban in concert a few times, and I am a follower on Instagram. So yes, I’m a fan. This book is from the perspective of following the details of his steps to meet his goals as a musician. I thought it was a memoir of sorts, but it is a recounting of his musical life from the author with quotes of him throughout the book. His book reads more like a magazine article describing what tours he embarked on, what each top single was and where it landed on the billboard charts. It is an interesting read if you understand from the first page that Keith did not write this book and I’m unsure if the author ever met him. Yet seeing his rise to fame, being the “non-hat” country singer, it shows you that Keith Urban did not have an easy path to fame, and that he stuck by his original sound and his goal to make it in Nashville. I won this book via Goodreads Giveaway, and was not bound to writing this review. If you like country music, if you want a glimpse into Nashville producing country records, if you like Keith Urbana songs… is a book you should read. And yes, Nicole Kidman is mentioned a lot too!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve known about Keith Urban most of my life having listened to his music when I was growing up, but I knew next to nothing about his journey or life before this book. I always find it interesting to read back the curtain and learn who someone really is and get to know their story better. I felt like this book definitely did that for Keith Urban. I found this book to be interesting and a nice change of pace from fiction I’m used to reading. The set up of the book was good and I like how the story progressed, starting with his early years and then getting into the troubles had breaking into the music business as well as his addiction problems before getting into his life with Nicole. This was the obvious progression of anyone’s life story, starting in the beginning, but I think it was still well done. I feel like I learned a lot about Keith Urban from this book and am glad that I read it. It was a good biography and is a great starting place for anyone interested in learning more about Keith Urban.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Books, Citadel for the copy of Keith Urban by Jeff Apter. I don't read many biographies so I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I like Keith Urban so I wanted to check out this book. I appreciate how much research the author did, but I wish there had been more quotes and anecdotes that didn’t come from publications/media that are widely available. The beginning was a jumble of names and dates that didn’t form a cohesive story of Urban’s early life. Luckily, as he got more popular, the news coverage about him increased so there was more material about him that started to create an actual story. It would have helped to use dates to section off chapters instead of random quotes because it would have been easier to keep track of the passing time. I liked learning how Urban made friends with other artists and how they influenced each other. The book verified what I have always thought, that Keith Urban is not only talented but is also a good guy.

[Nana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew Keith Urban from listening to his music, Never thought about his life, until I started reading this book. This is his journey, with all that he has gone through to get where he is today. There were detours, disappointments, setbacks, but what stands out the most is he never gave up. He was determined, when he fell, he picked himself up, and tried once again.
As Keith Urban said, “All those detours, the really dark ones, got me to where I am now. I would not want to change one leaf on any tree in the whole journey.” I enjoyed reading his story, and am really glad he kept on trying because I sure do enjoy his music.
I received an ARC from Citadel through NetGalley.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a huge country music fan but I did listen to our local station quite a bit. One night late I happened to catch a music video with Keith Urban. I had heard the name and some of the songs but somehow that video really caught my attention and I've been a fan since. I knew he married Nicole Kidman and had a drug problem but this told so much more of his story. As with most biographies I have read it seems more like a term paper. Maybe because I am a fan it didn't seem so dry. I especially had fun hunting down music videos and listening to his earlier work.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for providing me with a digital copy.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up to 3

I'm very familiar with captivating, well written autobiographies and memoirs. For me, this one missed the mark from the get-go.

At the beginning, the content screamed, "Follow me if you can." Facts were stuffed into the sentences like dressing in a turkey. And each time a parenthesis appeared, it disrupted the flow like a road block.

The story itself lacked warmth. It read more like term paper.

However, the pictures were interesting, and certain parts of the book were easier to read than others.

As always, this is just one reader's opinion. Give it a try. My concerns may not bother you at all.

[Sunny Days · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book. Keith is an amazing human who worked hard for a long time. I’m still puzzled at his overseas success but lack of recognition is Australia but please he is on the walk of fame and has found his groove. Love watching him on The Voice and now feel I know him. Also having not listened to many of his songs,I repeatedly went to a Spotify when a song was mentioned and will now find Keith on my regular playlist- he has some great tracks- and has done some awesome Collabs with other musical talents.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Allen and Unwin for sending me a copy of this book to review.

I wanted to read this book as this is a man who I really admire. I like his music and love who he is as a person. I love his rawness, honesty and how he is so down to earth. He has always been an open person and it shows.

This book tells you all about his early years how he got started , his rise to stardom his drug and alcohol addictions to meeting his wife Nicole Kidman.

Loved it . Highly recommend.

[Nicki - The Overflowing Bookcase · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insight into the world of the country rock star and the trials and tribulations into the stardom he had always hoped would happen. Through the years of hard work and perseverance Keith Urban became the Australian country singer that made it in the USA but struggled in his homeland. This was a great read that never shied away from the rollercoaster filled with fame, fortune, drugs, down turns and a romance no one ever saw coming.

[K Gover · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read for any Keith Urba(h)n fan. Details of where he came from, how hard he worked, and where he is today. The artists and songs he met and created are outlined throughout the book. My favorite part was reading about his older songs and the progression of his releases. (Had Alexa playing each song as I saw it in the chapter!)

Topics: Keith Urban, music, biography, fame, Australia

Recommended: Any Keith Urban fan- Monkeyville, Urbanites, 'Ville

[Koren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shortly into this biography, it was obvious that this was an unauthorized bio. There is not really any information here that you couldn't get from the internet and most of the book is goes on and on about his musical journey, but not very much personal information. That said, from reading other reviews, if you are a fan of Keith, you will probably enjoy this book for what it is. If you don't know much about him, it will probably be more of a snooze-fest.

[Vikki Bullock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a well researched and insightful read, outlining the life of Keith Urban.
The descriptive style of writing flows in a way that is highly readable, giving details of Keith’s story in a very real and non judgmental manner.
I loved the commitment and dedication that Keith had from an early age, he followed his dreams and made them work. The reality of growing up with alcohol in the family home, having access to drugs but also the strength to seek help to achieve his goal – what an incredible story!
Nashville is the end goal for all things country, a harsh initiation into the music industry and personalities involved.
Keith Urban struggled personally and professionally to survive in his career, that is impressive.
Readers will be impressed by this well written story, the characters that Keith met on his journey and the support given by iconic names in the industry!
Keith’s marriage to Nicole Kidman has remained solid, a partnership allowing both to focus on their personal interests and thrive!
This biography could only be enhanced by some interviews with Keith himself!

Thanks to Kensington Books, NetGalley and Jeff Apter for providing a comprehensive biography of Keith Urban.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kaitlynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Keith Urban, he's been one of my favorite singers since forever. So of course I jumped at the chance to read this. There were some things that I already knew, but there were a lot of things that I learned as well, that made this even more interesting to me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for allowing me to read an ARC of this title.

[BettyJo M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy listening to Keith Urban’s music and have followed his career. It was interesting to read about his life and obstacles, although most that follow him already knew the points made in the book. If you are a Keith Urban fan, I think this book is worth reading to learn more about him and how he got to where he is today. He is more than Nicole Kidman’s husband *wink wink

[Kelly Thompke · Rating 2 out of 5]

As much as I love Keith Urban this book was a struggle for me. It read like a newspaper article. There was no emotional draw. It was obvious the author did not interview Keith and used information from other interviews (as indicated by the 11-page bibliography). There are a lot of irrelevant details that made the book drag on. Not one I would recommend.

[Andrea A · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thanks to Net Galley and Kensington for allowing me to review this book.

Great book, really enjoyed, lots of information well written and researched. Loved seeing a lot of names of the past.