In an interview for the new issue of men’s magazine Best Life – Keith Urban revealed all about his passion for bikes and how he hopes to spend 2007 adding to his collection of classic cars to go with his bikes. Keith offered readers his “Best List” including his guitars, honkey-tonks, bikes and cars.In the Wheels section he discussed his bikes. He says, “Motorcycle riding clears my head. Kenny Chesney gave me a Harley (Davidson) Fat Boy 100th Anniversary for an end-of-tour gift, and I have two custom bikes: a chopper by a company called 357, and I just bought a Vengeance bike at Sturgis, this huge festival that happens every year in South Dakota. I intended to come back with a T-shirt and instead I came back with a motorcycle.”
The New Zealand-born singer also hopes to spend part of 2007 adding to his classic car collection. He adds, “I’m hoping to acquire a few more cars. I just don’t have the space right now. I figure if I build a garage, they will come. I’d like a ’57 Thunderbird, a ’62 Lincoln Continental hardtop with suicide doors and a Fiat Bambina.”
Keith Urban’s Vengeance Drifter backstage in Sturgis, SD
About Keith:
Keith Urban grew up in Australia with parents who loved American culture, especially country music. The first records he heard were by Charley Pride, Dolly Parton, Don Williams and Jim Reeves. He picked up a guitar at age 6 and knew by 7 that he would go to Nashville to play country music. By age 8, he was winning country music talent shows and had steady work in a band as a teenager. After hearing the music of Dire Straits, he bought the band’s albums and learned every song note by note. He began to throw what he learned into his solos onstage. The resulting fusion of rock-style guitar work with country music has become Urban’s signature style.
In 1988, Urban formed a three-piece band whose distinctive take on country music led to solid success in Australia. After charting four No. 1 country singles there, he made the move to Nashville. Once in Music City, he formed another three-piece band, The Ranch. The trio’s live shows caused a buzz in town, eventually leading to a deal with Capitol Nashville and a self-titled album in 1997. Critics raved about the album’s unique take on country music and Urban’s virtuoso guitar playing. Other artists also took notice, and when the group disbanded, they called on Urban to add some of his fleet-fingered magic to their records. Garth Brooks asked Urban to play on Double Live, and the Dixie Chicks invited him to play on Fly.
Urban released his debut self-titled album in 2000 on Capitol Nashville. Despite his somewhat grungy look, he was gradually accepted at radio with “It’s a Love Thing,” “Your Everything” and the No. 1 “But for the Grace of God.” (The latter was written by Urban and two members of the Go-Gos.) He toured with Brooks & Dunn’s Neon Circus in early 2001 and won the CMA Horizon award later that year.
Urban finished 2002 on a high note. “Somebody Like You,” the first single from his album Golden Road spent six weeks at No. 1, and the video featured supermodel Niki Taylor. In 2003, another single from the album, “Who Wouldn’t Want to Be Me,” also reached No. 1. The next single, “You’ll Think of Me,” also climbed to No. 1 and ultimately won a Grammy for best male country vocal performance.
His career continued to gain momentum in 2004 when he released Be Here, with the hits “Days Go By,” “You’re My Better Half” and the Rodney Crowell-penned “Making Memories of Us.” In 2004 he won the CMA Award for male vocalist. He repeated the feat in 2005 and also claimed the Entertainer of the Year trophy and also won his third CMA male vocalist trophy in 2006.
Keith’s new album, Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing, was released in November 2006.