Songoftheday 12/1/22 - I'm gonna kick off my shoes and run in bare feet, where the grass and the dirt and the gravel all meet...

 

 

"Where The Blacktop Ends" - Keith Urban

from the album Keith Urban (1999)

Billboard Hot 100 peak: #35 (two weeks)

Weeks in the Top-40: 4

 

Today's song comes from Australian country music artist Keith Urban, who had scored his first country radio #1 hit with the third single from his self titled American debut album, "But For The Grace Of God", that also made the crossover Hot 100 top-40 in the beginning of 2001. The fourth and final single from the set was the rock-ish mid-tempo track "Where The Blacktop Ends". Written by fellow country guitar wiz Steve Wariner with Allen Shamblin, the record has the "thwomp" beat of a Shania Twain/Mutt Lange record, as Keith extols the virtues of backroad living. It's branding, for sure, but it's the lighter side of it, and his pleasant demeanor doesn't seem to threaten those who like the "urban" life instead. The contrast between this and his previous single was helpful in Keith establishing his versatility, and radio rewarded him for it, keeping the upward momentum alive...

"Where The Blacktop Ends" became Keith's second top-40 crossover hit on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 in September of 2001. The song spent three weeks at #3 on their Country Songs chart as well. Keith will be back to the series many more times.

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Here's Keith on a televised show for the Country Music Television network in 2004...

And lastly, in a bigger arena show...

Up tomorrow: Rapper and mogul proclaims his loyalty to his brand.