Keith Urban wrote his current hit “Coming Home” based on a guitar lick he loved from Merle Haggard‘s 1968 No. 1 hit, “Mama Tried.”

“I wanted to write something from that famous guitar lick in that song, and we took it from Haggard’s record, sort of manipulated it a little bit and put some new chords around it and wrote this music track,” says Keith. “What became the chorus was almost stream of conscious when I was listening to the track. I just wrote ‘There’s a place that I know where they all know me/I gotta get back now to the ones who love me/wrap myself around you/never let you go/there’s nothing in the world that feels like Coming Home.’ And it all just came out, and that’s what Merle’s guitar lick made me feel, so it was a very important part of the song.”

“Coming Home,” featuring Julia Michaels, is set to enter the Top 10 and is from Keith’s new album, Graffiti U. He co-wrote the song with Julia, as well as J.R. Rotem, Nicolle Galyon and the late Merle Haggard.

Keith will perform during this year’s CMA Music Fest on Saturday (June 9th) at Nissan Stadium. He’ll kick off his Graffiti U World Tour with special guest Kelsea Ballerini in St. Louis, Missouri June 15th.

Keith Urban began working on his new album, Graffiti U, in January of last year and thought he may have it done within a short period of time. However, as he continued to write and record, the project didn’t come together until months later.

“The album felt like it started coming together maybe eight months later. It was crazy how long it took of writing and recording songs and feeling like, ‘Oh yeah. I’m gonna have an album in the middle of the year. This is great.’ And then the more I wrote, the more it started moving in a different direction and the more I found myself feeling freer in the process,” recalls Keith. “I don’t know how to articulate that, because it’s not to say I haven’t felt that way on other records, but somehow this one just became more liberated.”

His home studio may have had a little bit to do with the feel of the album. “I do think recording a lot at home in my studio that has big windows with lots and lots of natural light started to influence the spirit of the record,” he says. “There’s a lot of spirit in the album.”

Keith will kick off his Graffiti U Tour June 15th in St. Louis, Missouri. If you can’t wait that long, watch him perform Thursday night (May 3rd) on NBC’s Late Night With Seth Meyers.

Today marks the release of the brand-new music video for Keith Urban’s “Coming Home,” which features one of the song’s co-writers Julia Michaels.  It’s the newest single from the four-time Grammy Award winner’s #1, ninth studio album GRAFFITI U.  Urban, who has won countless awards, for his music videos worked with the award-winning director Andy Hines (Logic featuring Khalid and Alessia Cara, Big Sean featuring Kanye West and John Legend, Kali Uchis, Jim James, etc.) – the first time that the two have collaborated.

The groundbreaking, surreal creation, seamlessly delivers Urban from one scene to another and is both visually striking and creatively adept. Whether moving through a window from a bedroom to an open field or a cab headed for a makeshift “Little Tokyo” or performing side by side with Julia Michaels, while watching, “Coming Home’ is a visual treat.

“The concept for the video was really Andy Hines’ idea,” said Urban.  “He suggested the heightened reality that we see in the video, which keeps it more like a dream – an idea, more than an actuality.  It was also important to have Julia there – she’s great energy to be around and I love singing with her, so I wanted us to be on stage at the same time to capture that.”

“Being on set with Keith was magical. He’s a rare person on and off set- full of love and positive energy.  He surrounds himself with likeminded people such as his band who were incredible as well. I’m grateful to be a part of this video and grateful to be able to call this kick ass human, a friend.”

““Coming Home” started with an idea I had of using the intro of one of my favorite Haggard songs “Mama Tried,” said Urban. I took the idea to J.R. Rotem and he put some chords around it. I jotted down the first words that the music made me feel, jumped on a mic and sang the chorus.”

“Hearing that rolling Haggard guitar lick sparked memories of my childhood – and my dream to come to America.” added Urban.  “I knew right then the story (of the song) was about the struggles of being in a city where your dreams have brought you, but far from your home –  wherever, whomever and whatever that is for each of us.”

Urban is currently in production rehearsals in Nashville, readying himself for his 62-city “GRAFFIT U WORLD TOUR 2018,” which kicks off on June 15^th at St. Louis’s Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre.  Before that, he’ll perform June 9th at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium as part of this year’s CMA Music Fest.

“Coming Home” was written by Urban, J.R. Rotem, Julia Michaels, Merle Haggard and Nicolle Galyon and was co-produced by Rotem and Urban.

For more official Keith Urban news and information go to www.keithurban.net.

Check out the clip below.

This Friday (April 27th) marks the release of Keith Urban’s GRAFFITI U, his first new studio album in nearly two years.  The much-anticipated follow up to 2016’s record-breaking, No. 1, platinum album RIPCORD, GRAFFITI U is a natural musical progression that began with FUSE, but it also marks where Urban currently resides creatively. It’s this sense of presence during his writing and recording process that gives each of Urban’s albums an unabashed honesty and authenticity.

“There were no parameters or preconceived ideas,” says Keith.  “I began this process with a completely blank canvas. Every initial spark is organic and then expanded upon, like the art of graffiti, so the name really fit the music. I also liked the idea of “you” the listener (or the audience), because this is an inclusive experience. And because of my last name we had a little grammatical fun and shortened it to U.”

When Keith titles his albums, he usually does it with a lot of care, time and consideration. The last two — Ripcord and Fuse — had energy-driven titles, while his new record, Graffiti U has a very free, no boundaries feel to it. “As the record started to reveal itself to me, the word ‘graffiti’ kept coming to me out of the blue,” says Keith. “I’ve always loved that word, loved the sound of the word, and then I loved the fact that it’s art-driven. When I think of graffiti, I think of self-expression, personal expression, absolutely personal expression whether you’re painting something on the side of a building in a city or whether you’re painting ‘Billy Bob Loves Charlene’ on the side of an overpass [laughs], it’s all graffiti and it’s all free and pure and very personal, and I thought this record feels like that to me.”

A soaring spirit spray-painted right from the heart, Keith’s curiosity powers each moment on GRAFFITI U and the very title speaks to that personal and passionate vibrancy, vitality, and vision.

Of his continued drive to collaborate and explore his musical curiosity, Keith says, “I’ve always been creatively curious and I follow that passionately. That’s why I work with different people, and on this album predominantly new people, giving me an opportunity to discover new musical sides of myself.”

When Keith titles his albums, he usually does it with a lot of care, time and consideration. The last two — Ripcord and Fuse — had energy-driven titles, while his new record, Graffiti U has a very free, no boundaries feel to it. “As the record started to reveal itself to me, the word ‘graffiti’ kept coming to me out of the blue,” says Keith. “I’ve always loved that word, loved the sound of the word, and then I loved the fact that it’s art-driven. When I think of graffiti, I think of self-expression, personal expression, absolutely personal expression whether you’re painting something on the side of a building in a city or whether you’re painting ‘Billy Bob Loves Charlene’ on the side of an overpass [laughs], it’s all graffiti and it’s all free and pure and very personal, and I thought this record feels like that to me.”

Graffiti U, which has already seen the release of “Female” and “Coming Home,” features over thirty songwriting, producer and featured guest performance credits, including Greg Wells, Dann Huff, Mike Elizondo, Ed Sheeran, Ross Copperman, JHart, Julia Michaels, Nicolle Galyon, J.R. Rotem, Shane McAnally, Shy Carter and a signature lick for “Coming Home,” which credits Merle Haggard as one of its songwriters.

GRAFFITI U TRACK LIST:

Coming Home (Featuring Julia Michaels)
Written by Keith Urban, J.R. Rotem, Julia Michaels, Merle Haggard, Nicolle Galyon
Produced by J.R. Rotem & Keith Urban

Never Comin Down
Written by Keith Urban, Josh Kerr, James Abrahart, Shy Carter
Produced by Josh Kerr & Keith Urban

Same Heart
Written by Keith Urban, Jason Evigan, Emily Weisband, Jordan Minton
Produced by Jason Evigan & Keith Urban

My Wave (Featuring Shy Carter)
Written by Keith Urban, Greg Wells, Shy Carter
Produced by Greg Wells & Keith Urban

Parallel Line
Written by Ed Sheeran, Benjamin Levin, Johnny McDaid, Julia Michaels, Amy Wadge
Contains elements of “Everglow” courtesy of Chris Martin, Will Champion, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, Tor Hermansen and Mikkel Eriksen used by permission.
Produced by Benny Blanco, Ed Sheeran, Johnny McDaid & Keith Urban

Drop Top (Featuring Kassi Ashton)
Written by Keith Urban, Jimmy Robbins, Mozella, Josh Osborne
Produced by Jesse Shatkin, Jimmy Robbins & Keith Urban

Way Too Long
Written by Oscar Holter, Julia Michaels, Nate Ruess
Produced by Oscar Holter for Wolf Cousins Productions

Horses (Featuring Lindsay Ell)
Written by Matt Rad, Mozella, Jamie Scott
Produced by Matt Rad & Keith Urban

Gemini
Written by Keith Urban, Julia Michaels, Justin Tranter, Ian Kirkpatrick
Produced by Ian Kirkpatrick & Keith Urban

 Texas Time
Written by Max Townsley, Drew Erickson, Steve Lindsey, Dillon O’Brian
Produced by Mike Elizondo & Keith Urban

Love The Way It Hurts (So Good)
Written by Keith Urban, Ben Berger, Ryan Rabin, Ryan McMahon
Produced by Captain Cuts & Keith Urban

Female
Written by Nicolle Galyon, Ross Copperman, Shane McAnally
Produced by Ross Copperman, Dann Huff & Keith Urban

Steal My Thunder
Written by Keith Urban, Jason Evigan, Emily Weisband, Jordan Minton
Produced by Jason Evigan & Keith Urban

For more official Keith Urban news and information go to www.keithurban.net.

Jordan Davis was just presented with a plaque from UMG Canada commemorating “Singles You Up” as a No. 1 country single in Canada as well as being certified gold north of the border.

Brothers Osborne were in Baltimore for Record Store Day on Saturday (April 21st), to celebrate the release of their new album, Port Saint Joe.

Keith Urban and his wife Nicole Kidman were at a Nashville Predators game last week, cheering on the NHL team in their Stanley Cup Run. Keith also appears with the Stanley Cup talking about Nashville and the Preds.

The @PredsNHL are moving on to the Second Round and according to @KeithUrban, the city of Nashville is ready. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/hDjxupu5xe

— NHL (@NHL) April 23, 2018

Father’s Day is Sunday (June 17th), and we have liners with many of your favorite country stars! Download below.

Keith Urban will perform on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live on Monday (April 30th).

Kacey Musgraves has been announced as one of the performers at Japan’s biggest music festival, Fuji Rock Festival ’18. She’ll be joined by such acts as Bob Dylan, Kendrick Lamar, Skrillex, Fishbone and Jack Johnson for the three-day festival running July 27th through July 29th.

Shania Twain is set to host the Canadian Country Music Association September 9^th at the First Ontario Center in Hamilton Ontario.

Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War. However, by the turn of the 20th century, Memorial Day celebrated Americans who have sacrificed their lives in all wars. 

Some of your favorite country artists talk about what it means to be free because of the brave men and women willing to fight and sacrifice for our freedom.

Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood pick up the ACM Vocal Event of the Year Award for “The Fighter,” which they recorded for Keith’s 2016 album, Ripcord. The song topped the country charts last August.

“It was a really simple idea that you’re in a relationship, at the beginning of the relationship, and in my case, the girl is saying, she just wants reassurance, and I thought I’d love to hear that in a song where the girl says really simple things, like ‘What if I fall?’ And the guy’s like, ‘I won’t let you fall?’ ‘And if I cry?’ ‘I’ll never make you cry.’ ‘And if I get scared?’ The guy says, ‘I’ll hold you tighter, and when they’re trying to get to you, I’ll be the fighter,’” says Keith. “I just liked the simplicity of all that, because that’s been my experience. More often than not, the more real, simple scenario is pretty universal.”

Keith has hit the country charts with his latest hit, “Coming Home,” from his upcoming Graffiti U album, set for release April 27^th.

Carrie has just released her new single, “Cry Pretty.”