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Keith Urban<\/a> has built a career as one of the most consistent hitmakers in country music over the past several decades, but he was just a young, rising country singer when he changed his career by scoring his first No. 1 hit.<\/p>\n Urban first topped the charts with “But for the Grace of God” on Feb. 24, 2001.<\/p>\n “But for the Grace of God” was the third single from Urban’s self-titled debut solo album<\/a>, but he was actually a longtime veteran of the music business by the time of its release.<\/p>\n While Capitol Nashville released Keith Urban<\/em> in October of 1999, the singer, songwriter and guitarist had previously released an entirely different album titled Keith Urban<\/em> in his native country of Australia in 1991.<\/p>\n He had also had a\u00a0recording deal with Capitol as a member of the Ranch, a rock-influenced country group in which he was the lead singer, lead guitarist and principal songwriter.<\/p>\n The Ranch\u00a0released one album<\/a>\u00a0for Capitol Records in 1997 and scored two minor chart singles with “Walkin’ the Country” and “Just Some Love.”<\/p>\n When the band came to an end, Urban signed a solo deal with Capitol, which released his American debut single, “It’s a Love Thing,” in May of 1999.<\/p>\n That song peaked just inside the Top 20 on Billboard<\/em>‘s Hot Singles & Tracks chart, and its follow-up, “Your Everything,” gave Urban his first Top 5 hit on that same chart, peaking at No. 4.<\/p>\n “But for the Grace of God” was the third single from the album. Urban co-wrote the song with\u00a0Charlotte Caffey and Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go’s, and it reached No. 1 on Feb. 24, 2001, staying at the top of Billboard<\/em>‘s Hot Singles & Tracks chart for one week.<\/p>\n Urban scored one more hit from his U.S. debut with the album’s fourth single, “Where the Blacktop Ends,” which reached No. 3.<\/p>\n READ MORE<\/em>: Does Keith Urban Deserve to Be in the Country Music Hall of Fame?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n He\u00a0would go on to win Top New Male Vocalist honors at the 2001 Academy of Country Music Awards.<\/p>\n He also took home the 2001 CMA Horizon Award, launching him into a huge career that has seen him become one of the most awarded and best-selling artists in country music history.<\/p>\n Keith Urban<\/em>\u00a0was\u00a0certified Platinum<\/a>\u00a0in 2003 for sales of a million copies.<\/p>\n The six-string wizards in our Best Guitarists in Country Music list all have their different ways of using the instrument to touch the hearts and souls of country music fans everywhere.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhat Was Keith Urban’s First No. 1 Hit?<\/h3>\n
What Was Keith Urban’s First Album?<\/h3>\n
What Band Was Keith Urban In Before He Was Famous?<\/h3>\n
What Was Keith Urban’s Debut Single?<\/h3>\n
Who Wrote Keith Urban’s “But For the Grace of God”?<\/h3>\n
20 Best Guitarists in Country Music<\/h2>\n