Having recorded over a dozen No. 1 hits, worked with stars like Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton, and won four Grammy Awards, Keith Urban knows what it takes to become a country star. Watching his career grow with each passing year, the singer released his newest album, High, just last year. And to support the album, he hit the road with the High and Alive World Tour. But outside of his own career, he looked to help inspire a new generation with the Keith Urban Rising Star Scholarship.
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Knowing the amount of work, sacrifice, and dedication it took to make his career in country music, Urban always found ways to give back. And one of those ways came when he teamed up with the Tamworth Country Music Festival to celebrate the new scholarship. For one aspiring artist, they will get the chance to travel to Nashville to do more than meet the star. Once getting introductions out of the way, the individual will write, record, and perform with Urban.
A once-in-a-lifetime chance, Urban wanted nothing more than to shine a light on the future of music. “Sometimes all a musician needs is an opportunity to be heard or someone to help nurture their talent. Having the opportunity to do that not only inspires me, but I’m also hoping that in some way this scholarship will serve to inspire others.”
Keith Urban Ready To Teach And Inspire With ‘The Road’
Besides creating his own scholarship, fans of Urban can catch him on the upcoming show, The Road. Just another way to help and inspire, the country star will take contestants on the road to open for him. Unlike other singing competitions, The Road offers the singers real-life experience.
Joining forces with Gretchen Wilson and Blake Shelton for The Road, Urban recalled his own road to country music stardom. “I spent a lot of my underage life playing in some seedy pubs, sometimes just for the bartender. So I love the idea of throwing artists into a real-world environment to find out if they are artists.”
While the music industry might change, Urban insisted that every artist had to pay their dues. “Paying your dues sucks, but there are things in this business that can’t be taught, like how to put together a set list, whether to extend or cut a song during your performance or how to work the crowd.”
For those looking to apply for the Keith Urban Rising Star Scholarship, the application process will open in January 2026.
(Photo by Terry Wyatt/WireImage)
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