Keith Urban Reveals His Dad Is in Hospice Care, Shares Memories of Father Who Inspired His Love for Country Music

The musician made his comments to The Tennessean

Keith Urban recently visited his exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, but the trip was bittersweet.

The 48-year-old musician and American Idol judge's father, Bob Urban, who gave him advice, supported him throughout his career and inspired his love for country music, was not there with him; He was recently placed in hospice care.

"He's probably only got a few weeks, if that," Keith told The Tennessean. "I've just been dealing with that the last couple of days. This has all come at a very strange time where it's typical of a career that has extreme highs and extreme lows all often at the exact same time. So (the exhibit) is bittersweet a little bit because (my dad) is the catalyst for all of this. My dad is the catalyst for me living in America."

Keith was born in New Zealand and grew up there and in Australia. His father worked in a convenience store and was also an amateur drummer who liked to play Glen Campbell and Dolly Parton records, according to The Brisbane Times. Keith pursued a career as a country musician and moved to Nashville in the early '90s. In about a decade, he was releasing singles that topped the U.S. country charts.

Keith penned a track for his father, "Song for Dad," which is featured on his 2002 album, Golden Road.

"He gave me a lot of great advice growing up," The singer told Taste of Country in June. "So much of it, I sort of discarded over the years, and now I find myself listening to it very differently, and it was pretty sage advice."

Keith's museum exhibit includes stage outfits his dad made for him.

"My dad particularly always thought it was important that I dressed like a performer," he told The Tennessean. "A lot of these country music talent quests I did in Australia, they often had categories for best dressed male or best dressed female and I often won. Sometimes it was the only thing I won."

The exhibit also includes an album by U.S. country musician Don Williams, from Keith's father's personal collection.

"I said, 'How do you know it's going to be good?'" Urban recalled asking his dad. "He said, 'It's Don Williams.'"

"It hit me in such a way that I thought, 'I want to make those kinds of records, that people know are going to be solid and they go out and get it,'" he told The Tennessean. "I want to thank Dad for starting me on this journey."

Keith had paid tribute to his father publicly on his Facebook page in February, posting a photo of the two and a heartwarming message.

"Being a Dad gives me a WHOLE new love and appreciation for my Dad - and everything he's done for me. - KU ‪#‎withdad‬," he wrote.

Keith and his wife of nine years, Nicole Kidman, 48, have two daughters together, Sunday Rose, 7, and Faith Margaret, 4.

Keith told The Tennessean his parents' relationship inspired him to find love.

"I'm blessed that my mom and dad stayed together their whole life and are still together at 50 years," he said. "So I've seen that you can stay together and find a great love. I didn't know (anything) about it until I met my wife."