Keith Urban and his guitar will be at the helm of a new music competition series called The Road.
CBS Mornings broke the news on Tuesday, February 25, revealing that the four-time Grammy winner will be the headlining artist for The Road, a new reality competition series from executive producers Blake Shelton, Taylor Sheridan, Lee Metzger and David Glasser.
The series, set to premiere on CBS in fall 2025, will follow Urban and Shelton as they search for the next big musician. At each new location, emerging artists will take the stage as Urban’s opening act at music venues across the United States, including locations in Texas, Oklahoma and Tennessee, to test their chops as touring musicians.
“I spent a lot of my underage life playing in some seedy pubs, sometimes just for the bartender. So I love the idea of throwing artists into a real-world environment to find out if they are artists,” Urban said in a statement about joining the program.
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“Paying your dues sucks, but there are things in this business that can’t be taught, like how to put together a set list, whether to extend or cut a song during your performance or how to work the crowd,” he continued. “For me, touring has always been my first love. It’s where the rubber meets the road. But it’s the only road to take if you want to be a performer.”
Urban will perform songs from his latest album, High, including his current single “Straight Line.” Emerging musicians from each city will open for Urban and the audience will have the opportunity to influence which artists will move on to the next city on the tour.
The Road tour premieres on March 2 with a special performance at Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall in Fort Worth, Texas, and will end exactly one month later on Wednesday, April 2, at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.
Between then, the tour will make stops for special performances at The Factory in Deep Ellum in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday, March 5, the Oklahoma Ranch in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Sunday, March 9, Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa on Wednesday, March 12, Minglewood Hall in Memphis on Monday, March 24, and Marathon Music Works in Nashville on Friday, March 28. Tickets to every special performance will be free, but are only available on a first come, first serve basis.
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CBS announced in November 2024 it had put a series order on The Road with both Shelton and Sheridan, known for creating shows like Yellowstone, attached as executive producers.
“I’m a big fan of Taylor’s incredible work, and I’m excited to team with him and my long-time collaborator, [executive producer Lee Metzger], on The Road,” Shelton, a former coach on The Voice, said in a press release at the time. “I know a thing or two about singing competitions and what it’s like to chase a music dream and live life on tour. I’m looking forward to discovering new talent and giving them this platform.”
Sheridan, for his part, said in a statement, “There is a revolution taking place in country music. Building a platform with Blake for the next leaders of that revolution is an incredibly exciting venture. No more shiny floors and studio audiences. This is where the rubber meets the road — literally. Get in the van, go to the next town and win the crowd. Do it enough, and you become the next leader. Simple as that.”
