headlines and happenings

OCTOBER 2003

Aria Awards
Two years ago keith was presented an Aria , for outstanding achievements,
But this appearance on the Aria's during his visit back home, this year
was the chance to show a younger generation, that didn't know of keith.... exactly what a powerhouse performer he is!..
Keith and the band performed "somebody like you" before a massive Australian audience. I am sure that many aussie mates will testify, this gave our friends, who we have told about keith, and preached about keith... a look at exactly what we have been trying to preach for years!
I got some wonderful feedback, from non fans... who are now taking a closer look at KEITH URBAN.
But the crowning moment came for us all.... when they came to the announcement of

BEST COUNTRY ALBUM AWARD...
we all sat o the edge of our seats, fingers crossed, saying over and over in our mind..."please please Keith Urban , Keith Urban..
LeAnn Rimes opened the envelope, and announced   KEITH URBAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had tears in my eyes, and I was screaming with happiness, as Keith made his way to the stage
As keith accepted his award, be brought every Australian fan to their knee's , when he announced
" Australia Im coming home"
This award ment so much to urbanmates, We have sat back and watched, many golden guitar award nomination , Feeling so sure Keith would have to win, and then the feeling of hearing them announce someone elses name, it has always left us feeling, that Keith was being overlook

GOLDEN GUITAR AWARDS TAMWORTH:
Another Golden Guitar under the belt of our man!
Highest selling Album of the year!... 'WAY TO GO KEITH", and that is one award that noone can dispute, that award shows that it came from the support and love of keiths mates.... They recognize his talent, and hard work, and bought those albums up!.....I really believe out of all the awards they have, to win for highest selling album, is something to be so proud of.... it really is the highest recognition of your work! I will be dedicating a page to this great win!, if anyone would like to email me , with your well wishes to keith, i would love to them to this special dedication page!

KEITHS AMAZING MESSAGE ON HIS WIN IN TAMWORTH

Presenters Colin Buchann & Laurel Edwards

Colin: Hello Laurel

Laureal: Hello Col

Colin: Just come on over as news has just come to hand, through this steam driven fax machine, that we have out the back, (Laurel laughing)...uh .. that...uh.. we are just about to find out the "Top Selling Album of the Year". And, it is decided on sales right up to the very second. So an album really has to be a beauty, to make it over the counter & into people's homes & lives, over & over again. Every one of these albums that Laurel is about to show you has done that thousands & thousands of times so please show your appreciation for these very ol... uh... fine albums.

Laurel:       So which one will it be. Here are our finalists:

Col:        I'll hand them to you Laurel...Here we go..right

Laurel:

Beccy Cole ...Little Victories...ABC Music...

Cowboy Dreams...Adam Harvey... ABC Music

Golden Road...Keith Urban...Warner Music

Happy Tears ...Melinder Scnider...Compass Bros.

& the winner is .

Col: You do it Laurel

Laurel:   Glad I painted my nails for that Col, we had some close up's there. (Laurel laughing)
Col:   Glad I got these 4 albums for free too. .. Which is great

Laurel:    "The Golden Guitar for Top Selling Album of the Year" goes to .

Golden Road... Keith Urban

Laurel:   Col, you don't look like Keith. ..Sorry (laughing)

Col:     Well uh Keith is uh, we just found out he is snowed in, in Cinncinati, believe it or not. Keith has been in the states for , I think nearly ...uh...12 years, working so hard to bring himself to the very top of the country music tree there & we are very proud of him. Uh... Keith has asked us to thank a few people who are very special to his success. He'd like to thank Shaun James & every one at Warner Music , & the terrific job they have done on Golden Road. Like to thank his Australian Publicist, the legendary, Chrissy Camp, (huge applause) ... um & his agent, the infamous Rob Potts & everyone at Allied Artists. Keith would also like to thank, & (I know there's thousands of them here, & he is going to see this tape, so you let him know ) that thousands of fans who love him & support him & he'll say he'll be home soon.

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APRIL 18TH 2004
ST JUDES FANCLUB CHALLENGE
Many Aussies contribute to this challenge, by purchasing items from ebay, and also the fan calendars that keithurbanfans.com produced. I am not sure if Aussies know, just how fantastic the effort has been from fans all over the world.
Here are the totals to date: REMEMBERING THIS IS IN U.S DOLLARS, NOT AUSSIE DOLLARS
Club Name Dollars Raised
keith urban $33,985.47
Tommy Shane Steiner $9
Billy Ray Cyrus $1,522.00
Tracy Byrd $59.00
Mark Wills $29
Andy Griggs $2,437.94
Bryan White $148.00
Trick Pony $124.52
Gary Allan $31
Joe Nichols $100.00
Toby Keith $2,957.00
Tracy Lawrence $12
Wynonna Judd $198.58
Grady Nations $0 Wild Horses $0
Chad Brock $70

Jim Meyer is a freelance writer from Minneapolis.
Thanks for this Belinda... I noticed that Keith is now known as a New Zealander, and not Aussie, guess thats due to the success of Lord of the Rings

Friday, April 02, 2004

By Jack Leaver
The Grand Rapids Press

New Zealand-born Urban is one of the most solid and exciting acts in country, and he kept the energy high during his 11-song, 55-minute set. Backed by a five-piece band, Urban rocked hard while bringing an earthiness to his music by using traditional country instrumentation such as banjo, mandolin and fiddle.

Fleshing out infectious grooves and drawing largely on 1970s pop influences, Urban is like country's answer to Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, incorporating complex and melodic phrasing into his playing. One of the many highlights of Urban's set was his haunting hit ballad "You'll Think of Me," which might qualify as the best breakup song in recent years.

MARCH 18TH 2004
Nickelback like Aussie tunes
By Guy Mosel
March 19, 2004
NICKELBACK guitarist Ryan Peake listens to Australian country singer Keith Urban.
The Nickelback boys reveal their taste for Aussie music.
"I like Keith Urban. I actually really liked his last album. I'm sorry," Peake says.
"It's decent, it's well written. I've been listening to it quite a bit."
As if to keep his rock cred intact, the Canadian also adds that he likes Jet, The White Stripes and The Darkness and that he's recently been playing metal act Sevendust's album Home.
Peake is talking between sound checks before his band's gig in Saskatchewan, Canada.
"We're having fun plugging the new album and getting back to business," he says.
For Peake, "business" is playing live. When Nickelback last toured Australia, with 2002's ill-fated M-One festival, the band only appeared on stage for half-an-hour at a time on a bill that included other big acts such as Garbage and Midnight Oil. But Peake says fans can expect the full Nickelback experience when the band tours Australia in May.

Finding the Urban sound
Country singer finally on the right track for his next album
BY TOM NETHERLAND
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Thursday, April 29, 2004
Dozens of country music stars gathered in Nashville last week for the annual CMT Flameworthy Music Video Awards. Keith Urban sat several rows behind Alan Jackson, and among names like Reba McEntire and Toby Keith.
Awards given, curtain drawn, Urban climbed on board his bus and hit the road a little past midnight for another town, another show. On the road promoting his 2002 release "Golden Road," Urban takes a break from Kenny Chesney's blockbuster tour for a stop at Innsbrook Pavilion Sunday night.
New Zealand-born and reared in Australia, Urban set forth a genre-shaking style when he first dawned on America's shores leading The Ranch. As albums sold more, he enjoyed less time off. Life was so hectic: awards shows, touring, recording a new album, filming videos, etc.
"I just take it in stride," Urban said by phone last Thursday morning from Columbia, S.C. "I'm not up on a roof hammering nails in the middle of July. I'm trying to be really careful to never complain too much about my life because it's a real blessing."
Urban's videos were nominated in three categories, including Video of the Year for "You'll Think of Me," for this year's CMT Flameworthy awards. Stiff competition led to a shutout for the guitar-slinging singer. No problem, he said.
"Oh man, I really wasn't thinking I was going to win one at all," Urban said. "It's a fan-based award. When you're looking at guys like Toby and Kenny, who have massive amounts of people in their fan clubs, it's a numbers game."
Besides, few industry bigwigs would disagree that music awards shows are little more than televised vehicles contrived to trump up album sales. Exposure, that's the word.
"I think so," Urban said. "That's why, for me, getting to play is far more important than even getting nominated for an award. That's all I want to do, just play music, and I hope find some people who like what we do."
Mission accomplished. Two sales-heavy solo albums (plus one Australia-only release in 1991) and another recorded with The Ranch complete Urban's catalog to date. Prolonged success with 2002's "Golden Road" offered Urban the luxury of time to better prepare its successor.
"We're almost halfway through," Urban said. "We're hoping to get this out by the fall." Sounds like he's midway home to completing his third album, right? Think again."We cut a song on Sunday in the studio that was the fifth song we've cut, and that was the first song on this record where I knew in my heart that we found the sound we're looking for. We had already cut four songs before that, so we're going to have to go back and revisit those four songs now. I was waiting for that song to come along where it established where this record was going to go, and it happened on Sunday."
Sell a million albums and expectations escalate. Record companies are in the business of making money, and the more albums Urban sells, the more his label earns. But think about it. One million albums, that's about twice the population of Wyoming. Pressure to perform?
"Honestly, I don't feel any pressure at all," Urban said. "I get in the studio and I'm so in the moment, trying to make the best performance of the song we're doing at the time, trying to make sure we're breaking new ground musically and sonically, and just have fun making records. I just want to enjoy playing music."
Perhaps "Days Go By," and maybe another, but Urban said that those who attend Sunday's show will be the first to hear one or two tracks from the upcoming album. Sunday's date, he said, is the first he's played away from the opening on the Chesney tour this year.
"It'll be the first one we've done since December," Urban said. "Really, music is a major blessing in my life. I wake up most days, and go, 'OK, God, bring it on! Let's see what happens today.'"