Last October, Keith Urban hosted the All for the Hall benefit for Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame & Musem. At the time, he said he hadn't toured the facility in a few years, and was hoping to also bring his wife Nicole Kidman. That tour finally happened last week. Keith told Country Countdown USA host Lon Helton that he and his wife received a private tour of the Hall on March 31st. "There's so much to see, and we only had an hour. Don Williams, who's one of my absolute all time heroes, had just sent a few things to the Hall for display, including his hat with the little acorns on the front. It was heavy for me to see that. He also sent in some original lyrics, and it was great to be able to see actual changes he
made in the manuscript." But that wasn't Keith's only contact with his idol. He told Lon that earlier, he received a phone call from the legend. "I was driving in my car, my phone rings and don't recognize the number, so I answer it hesitantly, and this booming baritone voice says, 'Hey is this Keith? It's Don Williams.' And I literally didn't know what to do. I almost wrecked the car. That was one of the best phone calls I ever got in my life." Don will officially become a member of the Hall next month. Keith says he's hoping to attend.Keith will encounter Hall of Famers from the Rock world in June when he plays several stadium shows with The Eagles. "We got a call from The Eagles management about us going out with them, and we thought it was a great chance to play. I mean, when will I get a chance to play with The Eagles? It's going to be fantastic." Also on the bill will be the Dixie Chicks. Keith once played guitar on their song, "Some Days You Gotta Dance" from their second CD. But he told Lon he hasn't seen them in a long time. "I haven't heard from them or had much to do with them in a long time. It's been a while since I've seen them." Keith will do five stadiums in June.
Keith has been touring less in 2010, which gives him more time to spend with his wife and daughter. Sunday Rose is now 20 months old, and he told Lon he's been enjoying fatherhood. "When she goes 'daddy,' I go, Wow that's me! That keeps coming on at different times. I never thought it would happen for me, because it happened later in life. I got to where I thought maybe it's not my journey, and that's OK. But lo and behold we had a little girl. We went driving this morning to get some coffee, and she's in the back going 'dubadubadub' so we just started singing along, and she was giggling, I just love it. I think she's got a good musicality about her. Sometimes if I warm up my voice, I hear her imitating me."Keith Urban is Lon Helton's co-host on Country Countdown USA over the weekend of April 10-11, 2010. For audio and pictures, go to http://www.countrycountdownusa.com/
