{"id":1316066,"date":"2019-10-24T14:30:50","date_gmt":"2019-10-24T20:30:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cmt.com\/news\/?p=1813706"},"modified":"2019-10-24T14:30:50","modified_gmt":"2019-10-24T20:30:50","slug":"keith-urban-took-the-long-way-to-coming-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/music-news\/keith-urban-took-the-long-way-to-coming-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Keith Urban Took the Long Way to \u201cComing Home\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"byline\"> by <span class=\"author\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cmt.com\/news\/author\/morrise\/\" title=\"Posts by Edward Morris\" rel=\"author\">Edward Morris<\/a><\/span> <span class=\"date\"><br \/>\n12m ago<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span> <\/p>\n<p>The coolest thing about attending a celebration of Keith Urban\u2019s latest hit is the near certainty that you\u2019ll be treated to a live performance of the song being honored. And so it was Wednesday (Oct, 23) as a crowd gathered at the Hutton Hotel in Nashville to toast Urban\u2019s \u201cComing Home,\u201d his 2018 pairing with pop singer Julia Michaels.<\/p>\n<p>After Urban posed for pictures with the record label, publishing and managerial folks involved in propelling the song up the charts, he took the stage in the Hutton\u2019s Analog showroom and accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, crooned the song by himself (although Michaels stood nearby) and explained its complex origins.<\/p>\n<div class=\"deferred_content\"> Embedded from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iC7wWFQUUqU?feature=oembed\">www.youtube.com<\/a>. <noscript class=\"deferred_content\" data-deferred-info=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;iframe&quot;}\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iC7wWFQUUqU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen>\t<\/iframe><\/noscript>\n<\/div>\n<p>In effect, Urban was the sonic architect who called in a construction crew to build and finish the song. That crew included his co-writers Michaels, Nicolle Galyon and J. R. Rotem. The late Merle Haggard also got co-writing credit because it was the guitar intro to his \u201cMama Tried\u201d that inspired the song. Urban\u2019s determination to get every element of the song just right had him flying back and forth from Nashville to Los Angeles until it all fell into place.<\/p>\n<p>Michaels and Galyon were there to share the glory, but Rotem was unable to attend. Also among the celebrants was guitar god James Burton who played the original intro on \u201cMama Tried.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI always loved that lick,\u201d Urban said. \u201cI felt it was iconic.\u201d As to the coming home theme itself, he said, \u201cI thought about growing up in Australia and traveling around with Mom and Dad to all those festivals. . . . There\u2019s no short versions of the [song\u2019s] story.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"deferred_content\"> Embedded from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5k9R81z9Z7k?feature=oembed\">www.youtube.com<\/a>. <noscript class=\"deferred_content\" data-deferred-info=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;iframe&quot;}\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5k9R81z9Z7k?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen>\t<\/iframe><\/noscript>\n<\/div>\n<p>BMI\u2019s Mason Hunter, who emceed the ceremony, announced that Urban would launch his European tour in May and would again headline the All for the Hall concert, a benefit for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, on Feb. 10, 2020 at Nashville\u2019s Bridgestone Arena.<\/p>\n<p>Hunter introduced Michaels by pointing out that she co-wrote the theme song for the <em>Austin &amp; Ally<\/em> TV series when she was 14 years old. She\u2019s also written songs, he said, that were recorded by Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato and Shawn Mendes, among others.<\/p>\n<p>Galyon\u2019s hits include Dan + Shay\u2019s \u201cTequila,\u201d Miranda Lambert\u2019s \u201cAutomatic\u201d and Urban and Lambert\u2019s \u201cWe Were Us.\u201d She has also founded the Songs &amp; Daughters record label that features only women artists.<\/p>\n<div class=\"deferred_content\"> Embedded from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cWB1OJ9ywec?feature=oembed\">www.youtube.com<\/a>. <noscript class=\"deferred_content\" data-deferred-info=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;iframe&quot;}\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cWB1OJ9ywec?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen>\t<\/iframe><\/noscript>\n<\/div>\n<p>Sony Music\u2019s Josh Van Valkenburg praised Urban as \u201cone of the most important entertainers to ever grace country music.\u201d Troy Tomlinson, of Universal Music Publishing, said \u201cComing Home\u201d is \u201cimportant for a lot of reasons because it links country\u2019s foundational [roots] with contemporary music.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Recalling that Urban had called him when he headed Sony ATV Music to explain how he wanted to credit Haggard for his part in inspiring the song, Tomlinson asserted that Urban\u2019s great respect for Haggard and insistence on giving him his due \u201ctells you all you need to know about Keith Urban.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mike Dungan, chief of Urban\u2019s record label, UMG Nashville, lauded Urban\u2019s attention to detail in creating his songs and records. He announced that \u201cComing Home\u201d was Urban\u2019s 40th single to reach the Top 10 and said his accumulated work amounted to \u201ca Hall of Fame career.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"deferred_content\"> Embedded from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IxIWsca8PdQ?feature=oembed\">www.youtube.com<\/a>. <noscript class=\"deferred_content\" data-deferred-info=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;iframe&quot;}\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IxIWsca8PdQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen>\t<\/iframe><\/noscript>\n<\/div>\n<p>Pinnacle Bank is BMI\u2019s partner in promoting these song celebrations, and the bank\u2019s David DeVaul followed Dungan to the stage to say that Pinnacle would be making a contribution in the songwriters\u2019 names to Nashville\u2019s W. O. Smith Music School. <\/p>\n<p>A singer and songwriter himself, as well as a 2014 <em>American Idol<\/em> contestant, DeVaul told the crowd he wouldn\u2019t reveal the name of the judge kicked him out of the competition, but clearly indicated it was Urban, who grinned in embarrassment.<\/p>\n<p>There was more behind-the-scenery to come. Galyon reminded Urban that he had actually called to invite Shane McAnally to co-write with him but had settled for Galyon when McAnally said he was otherwise engaged.<\/p>\n<div class=\"deferred_content\"> Embedded from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Mksh2msIa7E?feature=oembed\">www.youtube.com<\/a>. <noscript class=\"deferred_content\" data-deferred-info=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;iframe&quot;}\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Mksh2msIa7E?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen>\t<\/iframe><\/noscript>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cNot to embarrass him,\u201d she added, \u201cbut I have waited in line for a Keith Urban autograph, and I have stayed up till midnight to buy a new Julia Michaels song when it became available \u2014 and I did buy it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After thanking by name the legion of people involved in making \u201cComing Home\u201d a hit, Urban explained that his wife, actress Nicole Kidman, wasn\u2019t attending because she had been relaxing in the Smokies with her sister and the children. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe\u2019s the reason I have a home to come home to,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"photo\" id=\"5e4635c9\">\n<div class=\"deferred_content\"> <noscript class=\"deferred_content\" data-deferred-info=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;img&quot;}\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cmt.mtvnimages.com\/uri\/mgid:file:http:shared:cmt.com\/news\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/10\/Keith-Coming-Home-party-1571948975.jpg?quality=0.85&amp;format=jpg&amp;width=480\" srcset=\"http:\/\/cmt.mtvnimages.com\/uri\/mgid:file:http:shared:cmt.com\/news\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/10\/Keith-Coming-Home-party-1571948975.jpg?quality=0.8&amp;format=jpg&amp;width=481 481w, http:\/\/cmt.mtvnimages.com\/uri\/mgid:file:http:shared:cmt.com\/news\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/10\/Keith-Coming-Home-party-1571948975.jpg?quality=0.8&amp;format=jpg&amp;width=660 660w, http:\/\/cmt.mtvnimages.com\/uri\/mgid:file:http:shared:cmt.com\/news\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/10\/Keith-Coming-Home-party-1571948975.jpg?quality=0.8&amp;format=jpg&amp;width=768 768w, http:\/\/cmt.mtvnimages.com\/uri\/mgid:file:http:shared:cmt.com\/news\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/10\/Keith-Coming-Home-party-1571948975.jpg?quality=0.8&amp;format=jpg&amp;width=980 980w, http:\/\/cmt.mtvnimages.com\/uri\/mgid:file:http:shared:cmt.com\/news\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/10\/Keith-Coming-Home-party-1571948975.jpg?quality=0.8&amp;format=jpg&amp;width=1200 1200w, http:\/\/cmt.mtvnimages.com\/uri\/mgid:file:http:shared:cmt.com\/news\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/10\/Keith-Coming-Home-party-1571948975.jpg?quality=0.8&amp;format=jpg&amp;width=1500 1500w, http:\/\/cmt.mtvnimages.com\/uri\/mgid:file:http:shared:cmt.com\/news\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/10\/Keith-Coming-Home-party-1571948975.jpg?quality=0.8&amp;format=jpg&amp;width=1800 1800w\" title=\"Keith Coming Home party\" class=\" js-srcset-img shortcode-image \" alt><\/noscript>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"photocredit\"> Steve Lowry <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr>\n<p><em>Top Row (L-R): Universal Music Publishing\u2019s Troy Tomlinson, UMG Nashville\u2019s Mike Dungan, Sony ATV\u2019s Josh Van Valkenburg, BMI\u2019s Mason Hunter and Warner Chappell\u2019s Katy Wolaver and BJ Hill. Bottom Row (L-R): BMI songwriters Nicolle Galyon, Keith Urban and Julia Michaels.<br \/>(Photos: Steve Lowry for BMI)<\/em> <\/p>\n<div class=\"author\">\n<div class=\"description\"> Edward Morris is a veteran of country music journalism. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and is a frequent contributor to CMT.com. <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cmt.com\/news\/1813706\/keith-urban-took-the-long-way-to-coming-home\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: CMT News<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Edward Morris 12m ago The coolest thing about attending a celebration of Keith Urban\u2019s latest hit is the near certainty that you\u2019ll be treated to a live performance of the song being honored. And so it was Wednesday (Oct, 23) as a crowd gathered at the Hutton Hotel in Nashville to toast Urban\u2019s \u201cComing [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[159],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1316066","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-music-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-14 06:26:56","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSKE Ski Country","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1316066","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1316066"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1316066\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1316066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1316066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1316066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}