Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr. duet together on the theme song from the old TV show, The Beverly Hillbillies, during one hopeful’s audition on American Idol.

Keith Urban returns to the judges’ table when the new season of American Idol premieres Wednesday (January 7th). You’ll see a few changes to the show, such as when the Idol hopefuls head to the West Coast.

“We sent over 200 people through to Hollywood, then we narrowed it down, of course, and then even further down to get to our Top 48. And those 48 guys and girls, we took them into the House of Blues in Los Angeles to put them in a live club setting where the band was set up, and they got up on stage to do a song each in front of the audience in that club, and we’d never done that before,” says Keith. “For me, it was a very important part of the process, because in years past, we’ve seen them in these various audition environments, and then they go straight to the TV studio and they’re in front of a live audience. I really wanted to see what they’re like in front of a club setting.”

American Idol premieres Wednesday (January 7th) at 8pm ET on FOX.

When American Idol returns next month, you might notice a little different judging style from Keith Urban. He says he goes more on gut feeling rather than how well someone sings.

“I think more and more, I find myself going with a gut reaction to someone’s performance. It’s ‘Do I feel something?’ I think it’s just so simple, ‘Do I feel something from this performer?’ ‘Cause I mean, sometimes they can have a pretty average voice, but they know what to do with it, to communicate and to get my attention and to make me feel something,” says Keith. “I’m interested in all of those things, because at the end of the day, it’s all about connecting, and the way in which we all do that is infinite. There are plenty of people that come on and they sing and they sound amazing, and I don’t feel anything. And so, those people, I’m not going to respond to them. I’m going to respond to the people that I feel something from.”

American Idol 2015 will open the season with a two-night premiere event starting with Wednesday, January 7th and Thursday, January 8th.

Keith Urban (judging Idol-gut feeling) OC: …something from. :41
“I think more and more, I find myself going with a gut reaction to someone’s performance. It’s ‘Do I feel something?’ I think it’s just so simple, ‘Do I feel something from this performer?’ ‘Cause I mean, sometimes they can have a pretty average voice, but they know what to do with it, to communicate and to get my attention and to make me feel something. I’m interested in all of those things, because at the end of the day, it’s all about connecting, and the way in which we all do that is infinite. There are plenty of people that come on and they sing and they sound amazing, and I don’t feel anything. And so, those people, I’m not going to respond to them. I’m going to respond to the people that I feel something from.”

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., December X, 2014 – Fresh off his win at last month’s Country Music Awards, and being nominated for two GRAMMY Awards® for ‘Best Country Solo Performance’ and ‘Best Country Duo/Group Performance’ just last week, Keith Urban returns to leading entertainment and lifestyle retailer HSN, to give fans and music lovers the chance to be a guitar player too, with the HSN debut of Urban’s Deluxe “Player” Guitar Collection on December 14^th.

“I first started playing the guitar when I was six and I remember feeling an instant connection to it,” said Urban. “So it was important to me to make learning it as easy as possible, for any age, and to create an affordable, quality instrument so that as many people as possible could have a chance to discover the joy of playing. I believe that’s exactly what we’ve been able to do.”

Appearing live across all of HSN’s platforms – TV, online and mobile – four-time GRAMMY Award® Winner Keith Urban will be on HSN on Sunday, December 14th at 12:01 AM ET and throughout the day. Urban follows up his previous three guitar collections for HSN with this one-day-only exclusive set that will be available for $299.95, $100.00 off of the regular HSN price.

“We are excited to launch Keith’s Deluxe Player Guitar Collection with the amazing breakthrough lesson series ‘30 Songs in 30 Days’,” says Joy Mangano, President of Ingenious Designs. “Not only is Keith a tremendous guitar player and performer, but a great teacher as well.  He makes it so much fun for people who have always wanted to play the guitar to discover the joy that music can bring!”  

Urban’s largest guitar collection to date, the Deluxe “Player” package comes with a 30-DVD lesson series where Keith personally teaches aspiring musicians the fundamental building blocks needed to learn how to play 30 hit songs: 15 of his top hits and 15 classic rock favorites. Each disc includes: 

• a full lesson designed for you to build as you go to master the song from start to finish
• a one-on-one solo performance practice session to cement the flow of the song
• a play along with the band practice session
• a final session featuring a backup band where you become the star

As part of his music mission, Keith brings his years of experience with this ultimate package in hopes to share the gift of music, inspiring you to set out on your own musical journey and become the next Player!   

The exclusive Deluxe “Player” series arrives just in time for the holidays and features two versions of the guitar: an all-wood body, handcrafted, Acoustic-Electric guitar with built-in on board 4 band EQ and tuner; or the Solid Body Electric guitar complete with double humbucker style pick-ups, 3 way selector switch and volume and tone controls. Each complete 50-piece set is available in four stunning color ways including the Keith Urban signature Brazilian Burst, Rich Black, Crimson and Jade. Other features include: a beautiful cognac distressed faux leather padded case with interior cushion to cradle the guitar; an adjustable guitar strap, a chord chart poster; a powerful 15-watt amplifier with built in reverb and overdrive; an extra set of comfort-coated strings; five signature picks and more!

The Keith Urban Deluxe “Player” Collection launches on HSN live on Sunday, December 14 at 12AM ET for a one-day-only price of $299.95 (over a $1,400 value) for the complete 50-piece guitar and lesson package. For more information, visit HSN.com or join the conversation @HSN on Facebook and Twitter.

Urban recently released his seventh studio album FUSE, which marked the first time that ANY country artist has simultaneously debuted at #1 on the all-genre charts in the United States, Canada and Australia. He recently completed his “Raise ‘Em Up” Tour, and last month won a CMA for Musical Event of the Year for his #1 song “We Were Us” featuring Miranda Lambert. Last week, Urban was honored as the “Artist of the Year” by CMT. Urban has also received three Academy of Country Music® Awards earlier this year, bringing his total to twelve, and he has won four GRAMMY Awards. He is the first artist to win the Country Music Association’s Horizon Award® for best new artist and to go on to win Best Male Vocalist, a title he’s captured three times, as well as the coveted Entertainer of the Year Award. He’s won an American Music Award® and People’s Choice Award®. He’s had 17 No. 1 singles, including three from FUSE, and five consecutive platinum or multi-platinum albums.