Keith Urban has learned a lot in the more than 35 years that he’s been making music. Whether playing large venues or small stages, the 58-year-old says he is now able to deal with almost anything that comes his way, thanks to years and years of practice.
”I’ve had everything from the strap break, and the guitar to fall away, to stepping on the cable and the guitar suddenly goes dead silent, to breaking strings in the middle of a solo,” Urban says. “Man, you name it. Everything’s happened to me, and you learn, right? You just learn how to soldier on with whatever happens.”
Keith Urban Recalls Moving to Nashville
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Urban was already having success in Australia, where he was raised, when he decided to move to Nashville, with dreams of an even bigger career.
”When I first came to town in 1989 and shopped a demo around, looking back, no wonder nobody made it through the first two verses,” Urban remembers. “I was just so out of place. I didn’t feel like I was, but I got some good support. And a girl named Mary Martin, who worked at RCA at the time – out of all of the people that I met, she was the only one that sent me a letter. It might have been a stock industry letter, I don’t know, but I love the fact that she sent me one in Australia.”
While Martin didn’t necessarily tell Urban to make the move, the fact that she sent Urban a letter was enough encouragement for him to relocate.
“I’m paraphrasing it a bit, but she talked about the fact that — this is in 1989 — she said, ‘I listened to your demo, and I really appreciated your music,’” Urban recals. “She said, ‘Country music is in a particularly traditional swing right now.’ I think [it] was basically, she talked about it being a traditional period in country, which it was. Clint Black was No. 1. And she said, ‘So, your music’s a little out of step, but I hope you find a home here.’
“That was all I needed to hear was just like, ‘Good. It’s the right place, and it’ll take a while,’” he adds. “That’s kind of what I took from the letter, so it was totally inspirational for me.”
Keith Urban Reveals His Goals For 2026
Urban has big goals for 2026. With all of his experience in life, Urban says he still has a lot ot learn.
“A friend of mine said, just work on how you introduce yourself to the day,” Urban tells his producer, Dann Huff (via Parade). “I thought that was an absolutely beautiful phrase. He said to me, ‘How do you introduce yourself to the day, every day?’ And I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I love that. I love that… You get to do it every day.”
“That’s where I’m at,” he adds. “Simplifying. Simplifying is my journey this year.”