This title examines the life of Keith Urban. Readers will learn about Urban's childhood in New Zealand and Australia, family, education, and rise to fame. Colorful graphics, oversize photos, and informative sidebars accompany easy-to-read text that explores Urban's early interest in music and talent in singing and songwriting that led to the release of his albums. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Profiles the life and career of the award-winning country music star, Keith Urban.

"Keith Urban's entry onto the tough-to-penetrate Nashville music scene at the end of the 20th century came in a flurry of chart-grabbing hits. The first of these was his song "Your Everything", and it sparkled brightest among the quartet of hits he had swarming the Billboard charts for the first time in his career. The beautifully delivered song, which showcased just a portion of his immense talent, lifted him from the debris of disappointments and setbacks that had been piling up around his musical journey and moved him along on his way to superstardom. "Your Everything" touched souls, melted hearts, and caught the attention of a hard-to-impress music industry. It peaked at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, settled in at No. 51 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, and in north of the border, resided at No. 20 on the Canadian Country Tracks chart. It became Urban's first song to make the top five on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart and he made history by becoming the first artist ever to be born in New Zealand and follow up with a Top 10 hit in the United States. "Your Everything" was the fourth of a dozen tracks on Urban's self-titled debut U.S. album. It received nonstop play across America's radio dials and the well-deserved praise for the song just kept flowing from fans and music critics everywhere. Plus, it became a staple for newlyweds to dance to while celebrating their nuptials, thanks to its powerfully soothing, feel-good vibe. Along with "Your Everything", three other singles off Urban's album sailed onto the charts: "It's a Love Thing" reached No. 18, "Where the Blacktop Ends" got all the way to No. 3, and "But for the Grace of God" rocketed to No. 1 to become his first chart topper in a career that would see many more. No surprise, the album went platinum, the first of many that would achieve that status in the coming years too. For Urban, it was a marvelous breakthrough that ignited the career of one of the greatest country musicians of this era. It all began with "Your Everything", which led to his much-dreamed-about arrival in Music City, also known as Nashville, a place where he truly belongs"--

In this definitive biography of Keith Urban, music biographer Jeff Apter presents the legendary Australian country star turned international superstar whose career spans the Nashville music scene, American Idol, The Voice, and much more, including the highs and lows along the way. Keith Urban came from humble origins. His father worked at the local landfill and Keith was a high school dropout. But Keith had a plan: conquer Nashville. “It’s my destiny,” he said. And Keith was hell-bent on scaling that musical Everest. Whatever it took. It didn’t come easy. Keith served his apprenticeship in the beer barns of Australia, and his early trips to America were disastrous. But he never gave up, settling in Nashville in the 1990s and forming The Ranch. When the band fell apart, so did Keith, ending up in rehab (not for the last time). But Keith did eventually reach the top, through a combination of talent, charisma, sex appeal, dogged perseverance—and skin thick enough for a rhino. And along the way he married Nicole Kidman. As Keith has said, “All those detours, the really dark ones, got me to where I am now. I would not want to change one leaf on any tree in the whole journey.” Keith Urban is the definitive biography of an international superstar.

This title examines the life of Blake Shelton. Readers will learn about Shelton's childhood, family, education, and rise to fame. Colorful graphics, oversize photos, and informative sidebars accompany easy-to-read, compelling text that explores Shelton's early interest in music and talent in singing and songwriting that led to the release of his albums. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

For a long time, country music has been popular as a way to sing about emotions, events, and people in ordinary life. Over the years, country music has changed, bringing in more instruments, complex lyrics, and musical styles. From honky-tonks to Nashville, country rock to pop country, this style of music continues to evolve, grow, and keep people singing along. Readers discover history behind these toe-tapping tunes through main text and sidebars featuring annotated quotes from country artists and music critics, a detailed discography of essential country albums, and photographs of superstars of country music.

This title examines the life of Miley Cyrus. Readers will learn about Cyrus's childhood, family, education, and rise to fame. Colorful graphics, oversize photos, and informative sidebars accompany easy-to-read text that explores Cyrus's early interest in music and talent in singing and acting that led to her breakout role on Hannah Montana and the later release of her albums. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.