Keith Urban

The South Pacific isn't exactly known as a breeding ground for country music, but from his Australian beginnings the New Zealand-born Keith Urban has emerged as one of the most popular country stars in America. It took him a while, though. The 43-year-old received his first boost of career momentum when he moved to Nashville in the early '90s and began working as a guitarist for the country duo Brooks & Dunn. It wasn't until 1999 that he released the self-titled album that netted him three Top 5 hits and a slew of new-artist awards. With his follow-up hit “Somebody Like You” and the Grammy-winning “You'll Think of Me,” both from the 2002 record Golden Road, he paved the way for his highest-selling album, 2004's Be Here.