Keith Urban recalls childhood criticism

London: Keith Urban admits just how tough music judges can be, after he was told to ditch his country sound and learn to sing in tune, when he appeared on a talent show at the age of nine.

The country music superstar appears on the Australian version of ‘The Voice’, and is desperate to give budding singers helpful advice after suffering some harsh criticism when he appeared on TV show ‘Pot of Gold’ in the 1970s. “He said ‘I desperately encourage you to escape the mediocrity and get out of country and western and get into some real music. Otherwise you’ll end up sounding like Dolly Parton and be absolutely useless’,” the Daily Express quoted the 44-year-old singer as saying. “So that obviously had a big impact on me! And then he said, ‘Kindly learn to sing in tune because you are intrinsically a good musician’,” Urban said. ANI