Happy 40th Birthday to Keith Urban
Birthdays, particularly the ones that mark the beginning of a new decade, are excellent times for self-assessment, and while I can’t be sure about it, I’d bet Keith Urban is doing a lot of that these days. He turns 40 on Friday, and he’s just announced the release of Greatest Hits: 18 Kids. Many artists typically note that assembling a hits album forces them to evaluate their progress, so Keith has a pair of reasons for reflection.
A therapist once told me the best way to keep from beating yourself up is to look back 10 years at who you were and see you’ve become. Usually, the results are rewarding, though sometimes they probably cause a person to take action on their issues. For Keith, in October 2007, looking back 10 years has a nifty symmetry to it. At the time, he was on the Billboard country chart for the very first time as a member of The Ranch, whose debut single scraped and clawed its way through the rankings for 13 weeks, getting all the way to... No. 50. Two years later, he had his first solo album, which -- to Nashville insiders -- didn’t really feel that much like him. In fact, he would later admit it was a concession to the trends, that he made an album he thought would get him played on radio (it did) and would provide a foundation from which he could then shape his own unique musical sound.
He’s done just that. You can pretty much recognize the typical Keith Urban anthem: An ode to modern life that acknowledges society’s flaws and constraints, yet still becomes a big celebration, wrapping his grainy voice in tinny percussion, sing-along choruses and a funky banjo. (Talk about creating your own sound; Roy Clark is a great banjo player, but I doubt anyone who watched Hee Haw would consider the instrument funky).
On Keith’s 40th, he’ll see that in the past decade, he’s created his own sonic niche, and brought a friend along with him, since former Ranch mate Jerry Flowers plays in his band. He’ll see he’s gotten married and cleaned up an addiction problem in a manner that, taking him at his word, apparently made him grow up a bit. Be happy for Keith. Or don’t. But it might not be a bad time for your own 10-year self-evaluation.
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susana says:
I am happy for Keith. I wish you the best birthday ever, Keith, may all your wishes come true!
OutlawSteph says:
I don’t think Urban plays a banjo. I think he plays a six-string banjitar which is in guitar tuning and played like a guitar. Roy Clark played a five string bluegrass banjo. You can’t play bluegrass properly without that drone string. Roy Clark rocks. Bernie Leadon played a five string banjo on the Eagles early albums which is a great example of merging bluegrass and country rock very well.
Mitzi Waye says:
Happy birthday Keith! I do believe he is happier now then he has ever been myself? He looks happy, plays happy and getting married seems to suit him just fine. I find him to be a wonderful person and love his style of music. And his sense of humor, me and my husband seen him in June of 2007 in Memphis and he rocked! And i will be seeing him again in Knoxville, TN. in Nov: the 29th. It took alot of guts to admit he needed help, and i hope he can be a light to others who need it so bad. You keep cranking them out Keith and i,ll keep buying and rocking right along with ya! 40 ain,t so bad, i find i have just now began to really live my life and understand alot more, so, HAPPY 40TH TO YOU AND MANY MORE TO COME!!!
Feathers says:
Thank you, Mr. Roland, for a very nice bolg posting!! It has been quite a ride for Keith over the last 10 years, and that’s only the stuff we fans know about. His talent, drive, determination, and charisma have earned him so many awards and accolades, but the one he would probably say he appreciates most is the dedicated fan following he’s established.
His music lightens the heart, enriches the soul, moves the feet, and captures your attention. Everyone who knows or has met him - friends, fans, musicians, interviewers and industry execs - has nothing but glowing things to say about him as a person, as well.
Good onya, Keith! Happy 40th! I’ll be celebrating with you, since mine’s the same day!
Feathers says:
OutlawSteph, you are correct. It’s a 6-string banjo that Keith calls a “Ganjo”. But you can’t tell the difference in the sound when you’re listening - it basically sounds the same, just played differently.
Lauren says:
A big kudos to this blogger. Very well said. HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEITH!
Just lovin’ him!
- Laurny
gloria says:
Great blog! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Keith!! Feathers, you said it all! I’m proud to be a Keith Urban fan and hope to be one for a long time to come! He has the sweetest voice in country music and he is an outstanding entertainer! I love to hear Keith play that Ganjo!!
OutlawSteph says:
“But you can’t tell the difference in the sound when you’re listening”
Of course you can. A proper bluegrass banjo has a drone string tuned to a high G. A bluegrass banjo is tuned to a G chord (gDGBD), usually. A guitar or banjitar is tuned EADGBE. There is NO WAY a banjitar in guitar tuning will sound the same as a banjo because three finger style banjo picking is a very specific technique. You can play rolls on a banjitar. We Telecaster pickers play rolls on our Teles, but it’s not the same technique as three finger style bluegrass banjo. It’s funny that people are even confusing this. Go listen to the Earl Scruggs and Ralph Stanley if you want to know what a bluegrass banjo sounds like and then tell me what you hear and how that is different than Keith Urban, or Neil Young for that matter, on a banjitar… both cool but different.
Anyhow, this is just an aside. I think the posters are missing the point to this blog. It’s not just celebratory. It’s about an artist who may need some self-assessment at this milestone in his life/career. Don’t we all?
Nancy says:
Birthdays are the milestones of our lives. Our 40th birthday is like the halfway point. I think that Keith has done a pretty good job. It seems to me that he works hard, lives hard and loves hard. He is an awesome singer, songwriter and musician. Can’t wait to see him again in Columbus, OH on November 1. Rock On Keith.
Lisa says:
Happy 40th Birthday Keith! You are absolutely breathtaking and one of the best musician and singers out there today! Looking forward to Knoxville and Jacksonville…just can’t get enough of you!! You only keep getting better with time! I can’t wait for your greatest hits CD and DVD and look forward to hearing and “seeing” you for a long, long time!!!
Lisa
Judy Radley says:
Happy BIG 4-0 to you Keith! I’m looking forward to seeing you in concert in Buffalo, New York on November 10. I already have my ticket and I have also made a special customized quilt for you. I hope to be able to give it to you at the Concert at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, NY on Nov. 10, 2007. I will be in section 117 and will hold it up for you to see, so watch for it then.
Happy Birthday! Your wonderful fan, Judy Radley, LeRoy, New York.
anabel50 says:
kieth…i love you and your music and wish you well in your recovery. i have followed your career from the start, own all of your albums and
anabel50 says:
can’t wait to hear more!
Jimmy says:
Maybe now he’ll grow up.
kaileigh says:
keith i hope u had a awesome b-day yesterday! i am ur biggest fan and only 10 yrs. old. love ya! keep on with the awesome music u will always be succesful
Arcade says:
I’m thinking I will go with the Ultimate Arcade II design… I need to find someone to build the cabinet as I don’t do wood work & live in a small apartment & have no tools… I’m looking at family members at the moment, hopefully that will work, but we’ll see…