Keith Urban’s third annual benefit concert for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which was originally supposed to take place this month, has been rescheduled for April 10. Urban had to postpone the event, called “All for the Hall,” late last year when he underwent throat surgery. While not all of the original lineup, which included Alan Jackson and John Mayer, will be able to appear at the new show, the schedule is still packed with stars.

Hall of Famers Vince Gill and Alabama will take the stage at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, along with Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert’s Pistol Annies, Oak Ridge Boys, Exile, The Band Perry, Thompson Square, Diamond Rio and, of course, Urban himself. In a statement, Urban expressed his excitement at having both new and experienced groups play the event:

Our genre is rich in great groups, past and present, and I loved the idea of getting to see and hear some of them on one stage in one concert. I also like the idea of having everyone hear how groups like the Oak Ridge Boys, Alabama and Diamond Rio have influenced others and to hear just how good they all are. My goal for the concert is really the same as the hall’s, to help the country fans connect the dots – to find out where their music came from, how it’s evolved (and is still evolving) and to discover the artists that have influenced their favorite artists. Country music is like a big beautiful strange family tree and nowhere is that more honored than at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

The annual event helps provide a long-term financial stability for the educational non-profit. Urban underwent the surgery to remove a polyp from his vocal cord in late November and is expected to make a full recovery.

In a post on his website yesterday, country superstar Keith Urban announced he will be a judge and mentor on the Australian version of “The Voice,” a singing competition that will begin airing next year. The announcement comes just days after the singer underwent surgery to remove a polyp from his vocal cord. An announcement from a spokesman said the surgery was successful and that Urban is “doing fine.”

“The Voice” premiered in the Netherlands in 2010 as a show called “The Voice of Holland,” and has subsequently been developed into similar shows in different countries around the globe. The American version premiered in 2011, and had Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine and country singer Blake Shelton as judges. The show was hosted by Carson Daly.

Contests begin the competition by singing while the judges are facing away from them to judge the artists purely on their singing talent. If a judge turns around to face the contestant, this means he or she will proceed into the next round, and the judge that turned to them will serve as a mentor for as long as they are on the show. After that, advancement to further rounds will be voted on by the television audiences as well as the judges.

Joining Urban as judges for the show will be Good Charlotte singer Joel Madden, Seal and fellow Aussie singer Delta Goodrem. Natalie Imbruglia, best known in the U.S for her 1997 Grammy nominated hit “Torn,” will host the show.

Speaking to Reuters, Urban’s spokesman Paul Freundlich said that the singer is recovering from surgery at an undisclosed location, and that he would be unable to speak for the next three weeks. He is expected to make a full recovery by the time “The Voice” airs next year.

Country star Keith Urban has announced that he must undergo throat surgery later this month to remove a polyp from his vocal cords. Though the surgery will be an out-patient procedure, Urban will have to rest his voice for an as yet unknown amount of time to allow for full recovery, including postponing or canceling any performances requiring him to sing more than one song.

He released the following statement on his website on November 3:

The surgery, an out-patient procedure, while minor, will require complete voice rest followed by an undetermined period of recuperation that will require the postponement of the ‘All For The Hall’ benefit concert.

Although Urban has had to substantially scale back his appearances requiring multiple songs, he will be honoring the pre-existing one-song performance commitments leading up to his procedure at the end of this month. All other appearances will be rescheduled in the new year.

All For The Hall is a benefit to be held at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena to raise money for the Country Music Hall of Fame, also in Nashville. In addition to Urban, the star-studded lineup was expected to include Alan Jackson, John Mayer, Miranda Lambert and Country Music Hall of Fame members Dolly Parton, Vince Gill and Charley Pride. The show was scheduled for December 2 after being rescheduled once previously from its original date in October. No word has been released yet as to when the concert will be held, or if it will contain the same lineup.

Urban still is expected to perform one song at this year’s Country Music Association (CMA) awards on November 9. He is nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year awards at the ceremony.

Urban’s most recent record, Get Closer, was released in late 2010. Since then, he has been on a world tour known as the “Get Closer 2011 World Tour.”

Just because college football will be over after the first couple weeks of January doesn’t mean that Louisiana State University’s Tiger Stadium will have to wait until next fall to see any action. The Bayou Country Superfest, taking place in said stadium, has been announced for Memorial Day Weekend 2012, and headliners will include Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean and Rascal Flatts.

The two day Superfest will be the third annual event held at Tiger Stadium, and each night will feature two arena level headliners (Urban and Underwood for Saturday, May 26, and Aldean and Rascal Flatts for Sunday, May 27). Other performers will include Dierks Bentley, Sara Evans, Joe Nichols and Little Big Town, among others.

Perhaps the least known headliner is Jason Aldean, who has just been on the country scene for a little over five years, but has become quite a sensation in that time thanks to hits like “Big Green Tractor,” “Dirt Road Anthem” and “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” a duet with Kelly Clarkson. Both his self-titled debut album and his most recent album, Wide Open, have been certified platinum, and six of his singles have reached the number one spot on the Billboard Country Singles charts.

Carrie Underwood, one of the most successful American Idol alums, has been a fixture in the country music scene since her number one Idol finish in 2005. Both Keith Urban and Rascal Flatts were nearly constant fixtures on the top of the country charts throughout the last decade.

Rounding out the lineup is relative newcomer Jerrod Niemann, who was known as a successful Nashville songwriter working with the likes of Garth Brooks and Jamey Johnson before finding success as a performer. He had a minor hit with his 2006 single “I Love Women (My Momma Can’t Stand)” and then found wider success with the release of his third album, Judge Jerrod & the Hung Jury in 2010.

In addition to the music, the festival will also feature tailgating similar to that held for LSU football games and an artist meet and greet area, among other features of the all-day events.

Toby Keith, who is rarely seen at award shows, indicated that he would attend a show if he could also sing at the same show. As a result, Toby Keith enthusiasts will be thrilled to learn that CBS has included Keith, along with Keith Urban, as a performer on the April 3 production of the Academy of Country Music Awards.

With the inclusion of Keith and Urban, each of the six nominees for Entertainer of the Year will be performing at the awards ceremony. The four other singers, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, Taylor Swift, and Brad Paisley have already verified their performances. Remember that the fans will determine who wins the award, as has been the case for the past three years. Fans can begin voting for their favorites on March 11.

Earlier, The Band Perry and Eric Church were awarded the Top New Vocal Duo and the Top New Solo Vocalist in that order. These two artists will now go up against each other as nominees for the Top New Artists award. This award will be announced by Luke Bryan the evening of the ceremony.

The 48th production of Academy of Country Music Awards will be hosted by Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton. It will be televised on April 3, 2001 from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The show is produced by Dick Clark Productions for television.

This summer Keith Urban will try to make his family and fans happy.

The country star will be hitting the road on June 16 for an arena tour of 44 cities across the U.S.  The schedule will still give him time to spend with actress Nicole Kidman, his wife, as well as Sunday Rose, their daughter, who is 2 years old.

Urban, speaking of his career and family demands said, the thing about balance is that it is never achieved, just maintained.  Nic and I are able to maintain it based on our ability for staying in the present and making adjustments along the way.

Urban said he structured the tour purposely so that he isn’t gone for several months at once.  He plays two to three nights, then returns home for a couple of days before heading out again.

According to Urban these short breaks help to make his concerts better as well because he wants to really be there.

He said I don’t think we should ever just go through the motions if we can possibly avoid it.

Urban’s “Get Closer Tour” will be kicking off from Mobile, AL, with stops scheduled for Nashville, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Denver, Dallas, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and Atlanta.

The tour will be featuring a stage production that is new as well as songs from “Get Closer,” his recently released sixth album, along with some of Urban’s other eleven No. 1 hit songs, including “Better Life,” “Who Wouldn’t Wanna Be Me” and “Somebody Like You.”

Kidman has had many chances to watch live performances of her husband, with the most recent coming earlier this month at the CMA’s Awards show.

Kidman said, he’s about giving back to the fans.  I see all of his love and see all that he gives his fans.  I really love that.

Urban is planning to announce opening acts and international tour dates later.

Next month Oprah Winfrey will be taking her show into Australia.  She will be taking along one of the most famous Australian exports, Keith Urban, whose confirmed appearance will help make the show one of Oprah’s most highly anticipated of this season.

In September while in Nashville for the ACM Honors, Keith was questioned about a possible appearance on the Australian Oprah shows.  Urban said he thought it was a great idea.  That time of the year is a great time for being there.  It’s beautiful.  Go Oprah.  Everyone will have a really great time.  Hopefully we will end up being down there.  It would be great.

Keith will be taping his episode for Oprah’s show from Sydney Opera House on December 14.  Other Aussies who will most likely make appearances on one of Oprah’s three shows from Down Under are Naomi Watts, Cate Blanchett and Hugh Jackman.  There are also rumors that Nicole Kidman, Oscar winning actress and wife of Keith, will also be making an appearance.

In Oprah’s 25th season premiere episode for her show’s final season, Oprah surprised her audience of 300 with a trip to Australia.  The trip’s pilot will be John Travolta, the actor.

Oprah’s Australian trip is part of Australia’s tourism promotion.  Funding is from the NSW and federal government with Qantas Airlines as a partner,  It is Oprah’s first time filming her television show from another country.

Urban, prior to appearing on “Oprah Winfrey Show,” will perform during the halftime show at Dallas Cowboys Stadium on Thanksgiving Day on November 25 during the game between the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys.  Currently the Grammy Award winner is making waves on the country music charts with “Put You in a Song,” a track off of “Get Closer,” his new album.

I’m at Penn Station playing.  Now I can check it off of my bucket list, yelled Keith Urban to a swarm of startled rush hour commuters on Tuesday morning at New York City’s bustling train station.

The impromptu concert was performed by the Australian country superstar at Penn Station to celebrate the release of “Get Closer,” his new album.  Keith joked about wanting to make his set all about train songs, but kicked off want an old favorite instead, “Days Go By.”  He followed that up with “Put You In A Song,” the first single off his new album, followed up with “Only You Can Love Me This Way,” a heartwarming ballad, and then “Somebody Like You,” another fan favorite, uptempo song.

Thanks for missing the train, yelled Keith, dressed in all black.  I finally made my way to Penn Station.  Forget about Madison Square Garden.  We will play here.  We have a new album coning out today, so we were thinking, why not celebrate by coming out and busting in at Penn Station.  Except you don’t have to throw us any money.

Keith, after performing his set of four songs, got onto an Amtrak train headed for Philadelphia.  He got off at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station and was met with deafening cheers.  It wasn’t as much of a surprise in Philadelphia, as it appeared that one of the local radio stations there discovered the plans Keith had for performing a mini concert and sent the station’s listeners on a kind of scavenger hunt for Keith.

The six song show by Keith in Philly once again started with the song “Days Go By,” which was followed with “Put You in a Song.”  Then the fans got their turn to determine Keith’s set list.  The fans requested No. 1 hits “Stupid Boy” and “Sweet Thing,” which he honored.  In addition Keith sang a few of the lines from “Philadelphia Freedom,” by Elton John.  Either that or I will sing a song about the Philly cheese steak, Keith joked before he returned to his own music, performing “Somebody Like You” and “Only You Can Love Me This Way.”

Keith said, thanks to everybody who came along, and especially for those who missed their trains.  We will stay awhile.

However Keith had to make sure he made his afternoon train ride to Manhattan.  He had another surprise show to perform.  This time it took place on board the 3:02 pm train from Philadelphia headed to New York.  Keith bought a whole car out in order to play host on the train to contest winners for a meet and greet and traveling show.

The featured performer for the Salvation Army at their Kettle Kickoff show at halftime during  the Thanksgiving Day game in Dallas on November 25 will be Keith Urban.  Keith said, I’m very honored for the opportunity to be part of the great partnership and tradition between the Salvation Army and Dallas Cowboys.  Playing at Cowboys Stadium during the halftime show for the Thanksgiving game will be amazing.  It will be the 14th year that The Salvation Army and Dallas Cowboys have partnered to raise money that goes to people in need all across the country.

Urban, in other news, will be releasing a new track exclusively every Tuesday at iTunes from “Get Closer,” his upcoming album.  The first single from the CD, “Put You In A Song,” has already been released.  “Long Hot Summer” is available now on iTunes also.  Two additional songs will be released prior to the November 16 release of the album.  On November 2 “Without You” will be available and on November 9 “You Gonna Fly” will be available.  A free Urban video podcast will be released as well at iTunes.  It features Keith sharing his thoughts on the song being made available on that day with the fans.  After the CD is released, fans will have an opportunity to complete the album on iTunes by only paying for songs they don’t have yet.

Have you ever wondered how many acts you have to pack onto a bill to fill up a stadium? Well evidently it is three. The Eagles, Keith Urban and the Dixie Chicks will be heading out to a stadium near you this summer. The trio of bands will kick things off in Toronto, Ontario on June 8 and carry through the month of June to end up at St. Louis’ Busch Stadium on June 24. A full listing of tour dates are listed below. A note to the Toronto, Winnipeg and St Louis residents, Keith Urban won’t be on the bill for these dates just the Eagles and the Dixie Chicks.

Tickets go onsale to the general public via Ticketmaster on March 29, but if you are lucky enough to have an American Express card you can jump to the front of the line and get presale access on March 22.

The Eagles already have dates on the calendar, touring in support of their 2007 effort “Long Road Out of Eden.” The Dixie Chicks haven’t toured in four years, and Chicks Maguire and Robinson are set to release a new album via their side project Court Yard Hounds. Keith Urban released his most recent effort “Defying Gravity” last March.

2010 The Eagles, Keith Urban, Dixie Chicks Tour Dates
June 2010
8 – Toronto, Ontario – Rogers Centre
10 – East Rutherford, NJ – New Meadowlands Stadium
12 – Boston, MA – Gillette Stadium
14 – Philadelphia, PA – Citizens Bank Ball Park
15 – Washington, DC – Nationals Park
19 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field
22 – Winnipeg, Manitoba – Canad Inns Stadium
24 – St. Louis, MO – Busch Stadium