International Country music star Keith Urban returns to Tamworth
Print Email Share Permalink
Keith Urban talks about the impact Star Maker had on his life
It was the Star Maker event at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in 1990 that changed Keith Urban's life forever.
In honour of his achievements Tamworth is turning into Urbanville.
Keith Urban has a long connection to the Country Music Capital, where he won the Star Maker competition in 1990.
At the CMT awards in the US last year Keith Urban was asked to name three memorable moments in his career, but he only needed one.
"I won this award in Australia called Star Maker in 1990 and I think for me I always find that for me was the turning point for me.
I still spent another ton of years playing in clubs.
But something had changed from that award for me in Australia at least.
And the award gave me a chance to be signed to EMI Records to record one song I got signed to a publishing deal and those guys sent me to Nashville. I came over in 1989 for my first visit and then when I signed my publishing deal I started coming over and writing in 91 and 92 doing these writing trips and so you know that award opened up a place a way to get into Nashville, and everything started happening from there. You know it took a long long time - I can't really name three I think that one was so stand out for me. That was it for me."
As part of Keith Urban's Get Closer World Tour, he'll be bring his show to Tamworth tonight.
It has sold out so the council has organised some other activities in the main street for fans who couldn't get tickets.
The country music capital's main street Peel Street in Tamworth will be closed from 2pm between White and Fitzroy Streets.
In honour of his visit ABC New England North West caught up with some locals who remember the boy with the bleach blonde mullet and tight white leather jacket from all those years ago.
Barry Harely is the General Manager of Rural Press Events and remembers his performance at the Star Maker quest in 1989 and his second attempt in 1990.
Rob Burns met Keith as a young boy and then played in the back-up band at the Star Maker event in the year Keith won.
Terry Hill was the organiser of the Star Maker event for almost 20 years and told Anna Moulder all about the extraordinary young talent that took the stage in 1990.
Peter Harkins owns a music shop in Tamworth and remembers loaning Keith and his band Ranch equipment so they could play in concerts to raise money for the Tamworth Base Hospital.
Maybe you have some memories of a young Keith Urban you'd like to tell us about.
The photo of a very young Kieth Urban was sent to us by Tamworth local Cheryl Byrnes.
She says it was taken by one of her best friends Cathie Dickinson, She says both her father and Cathie's father were in the Capital Country Music Association and some of the sections in the annual Talent Quest in January were held at the Rugby Union Hall in Marius Street. This pic is on the steps of the Rugby Union Hall just near the underpass on the corner of Marius and Macquarie Streets in Tamworth. She says it was so obvious this young boy had star written all over him.
She says after the talent quest everyone would come back to her parents home and sit around to discuss the talent. Keith's name always brought a smile to everyone's face. Related Photos Expand/Collapse Audio Expand/Collapse Download this mp3 file
-------------------- Indianapolis - 11/08/07 Lexington - 04/26/08 Indianapolis - 09/13/08 Cincinnati - 06/05/09 Louisville - 08/22/09 Cincinnati - 08/11/11 Posts: 472 | From: N. KY | Registered: Jan 2006
| IP: Logged |
Golden gift studded with precious rubies 13 Apr, 2011 04:00 AM By Rebecca Belt
TAMWORTH thanked Keith Urban for including the city on his world tour with a nine-carat gold miniature Golden Guitar.
The replica of the coveted awards, of which Keith has won his fair share, is adorned with seven rubies, weighing a total of a quarter of a carat.
Tamworth mayor Col Murray said the rubies represented the 40th anniversary of the Tamworth Country Music Festival, which will be celebrated in January next year; this week the city is 40 weeks out from that important event.
“It was hand-made and is the only one ever made,” Cr Murray said.
“It’s styled on the old Maton guitar, which was one of his (Keith’s) favourite guitars. It’s a beautiful gift from the city of Tamworth.”
Cr Murray presented the gift to Keith backstage before his show at TRECC last night.
“We would love to see him at the 40th Festival, but we don’t expect he’ll be back in Tamworth so soon,” he said.
The guitar measures about 6cm long and 2.5cm wide and was hand-made by a Tamworth jeweller. “The idea for the gift came out of a working group that looks after Festival planning, and this is like our local launch of the Festival, 40 weeks out,” Cr Murray said.
RELATED COVERAGE 13 Apr 11: Keith gets closer to Tamworth 13 Apr 11: Street closes for Keith-mania 13 Apr 11: Dedicated fans from Melbourne 13 Apr 11: Fan club member on road trip 12 Apr 11: Countdown to Keith begins
-------------------- Indianapolis - 11/08/07 Lexington - 04/26/08 Indianapolis - 09/13/08 Cincinnati - 06/05/09 Louisville - 08/22/09 Cincinnati - 08/11/11 Posts: 472 | From: N. KY | Registered: Jan 2006
| IP: Logged |
Email this page to someone!
Printer-Friendly View of this Topic
