Keith Urban’s Debut Nashville Album Was Released 22 Years Ago Today
Today (10/19) marks the 22nd anniversary of Keith Urban’s Nashville Capitol Records debut album, named simply, Keith Urban.
Even though Keith released his first album in Australia in 1991, this is the project considered his real debut and it sparked his career as a country superstar.
In order of release, the singles from this album were “It’s a Love Thing” (number 18), “Your Everything” (number 4), “But for the Grace of God” (number 1), and “Where the Blacktop Ends” (number 3).
On the album, Keith dons multiple hats playing banjo, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, electric sitar, slide guitar, lead vocals, and background vocals.
1999’s Keith Urban album featured three big hits for Urban including his first very number one song, “But For The Grace Of God.” The label had a party in honor of the song hitting number one; it was hosted by Keith, along with The number one party for that song in Nashville hosted Keith along with one of the song’s co-writers Jane Wiedlin from the 1980’s pop group the Go Go’s.
Keith said of the song at that very party in 2000, “It was just a magical sort of song that actually sat around for a while because I didn’t think it suited me. Then nobody else wanted to cut it, so I guess it was meant to be. And I’m glad I did because I fell in love with the song a couple of years after we finished writing it.”
The chorus of the song includes the lyrics, “But for the grace of God go I / I must’ve been born a lucky guy / Heaven only knows how I’ve been blessed / With the gift of your love / And I look around and all I see Is your happiness embracing me / Oh Lord I’d be lost / But for the grace of God.”
The music video for “But For The Grace of God” premiered on CMT on December 2, 2000. It features Urban walking down a busy street at night.
“Where the Blacktop Ends” has become a classic for Keith and was his third consecutive Top 5 hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart after reaching number 3. The song was co-written by country star Steve Wariner.
Just a few years after the album’s release in December 2003, Keith Urban was certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Keith Urban In 2001 – A Breakout Year
