Keith Urban is officially a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The 55-year-old was inducted alongside Kix Brooks, David Lee Murphy, Casey Beathard, Rafe Van Hoy and the late John Jarrard, celebrating Urban’s songwriting talents and abilities.
Ahead of his induction, Urban shared what he believes is the secret to penning a great song, something he has proven he can do time and time again.
“It’s one of the most elusive things,” Urban told The Associated Press. “Some days it just flows and other days, there’s nothing. I just always hope it’s not a day where I show up to somebody important to write with and nothing comes in.”
With more than 30 years of writing music in Nashville alone, the father of two has learned, thanks to a lot of trial and error, that not every writing session will produce a hit song — or even any song.
“Just be in the moment and flow. If it’s there, it’s there. If it’s not, it’s not,” Urban said. “But there’s a real balance, I think, of inspiration and craft. It’s a blend of those two and then a whole bunch of mysticism all at the same time.”
“It’s alchemy,” he continued. “You’re making something where there was nothing. I’ve often said that I can’t physically bring a child into being, but I can bring a song into being. And that song didn’t exist before that day. And now it exists and now it will always exist. And that’s an amazing feeling.”
At the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Eric Church performed “Who Wouldn’t Wanna Be Me” in honor of Urban, with Dolly Parton officially inducting Urban.
Of all of the accolades Urban has ever received, and ever hoped to receive, being part of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame is one the Grand Ole Opry member never expected to receive.
“Being invited into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame is hands down one of the highest honors that’s ever happened to me,” Urban told his record label. “I’ve always loved writing songs. I’ve always loved great songwriters, and, this is a songwriting town. I mean, first the song always. The song is the very first thing. To be in this group, this incredible group of songwriters is a bit surreal. Honestly, it’s probably still sinking in.”
Urban is not only honored that he will forever be part of the prestigious institution, but that he joined with such an elite group of songwriters.
“This particular group, this class of ‘23, is surreal,” Urban admitted. “I know all of these guys; Casey Beathard is the only guy that I haven’t really met, but I’ve known David Lee Murphy for a long time, Rafe Van Hoy, Kix Brooks, of course. Kix is like my brother from another mother. He was one of the first people in town to really get behind what I was doing. I had a band at the time called The Ranch and Kix came and saw us play in a tiny little club and invited us to go out and open some shows for Brooks & Dunn even before we ever had any music out.
“We had nothing on the radio,” he added. “He was just a great believer of mine. So to be inducted in the same year that Kix is particularly sweet.”
Urban will resume his Keith Urban: The Las Vegas Residency on November 1. He will also co-host the All for the Hall benefit, alongside Vince Gill, on Tuesday, December 5. Find music and tour dates at KeithUrban.com.
