BITTERSWEET, Ky. — I must admit, I am the kind of person who likes to travel the rural routes instead of the interstates. I can move slower and take in the sights and sounds of the countryside.

When it comes to music, I am often the same way. While the mainstream, Top 40 road is okay, I have found some of my favorite artists and favorite songs off the beaten path.

However, there are those popular “four-lane” performers who not only light up the charts but turn all they do into gold, musically speaking. Keith Urban is a fine example of an “interstate” kind of performer who can cross musical genre lines and still maintain his unique style.

Urban has been a top superstar for years and he shows no signs of slowing down, In fact, he seems more popular than ever. He currently has two songs on the top 50 country chart, a new album coming, along with a new world tour.

Every time I turn around I see him performing with a wide variety of other artists, including the Rolling Stones, John Mayer, Taylor Swift … and the list goes on. He has won countless awards and nearly every top country music honor there is.

And if all that weren’t enough, he is one of the best guitar players in the universe and puts on one heck of a concert. Yes indeed, Keith Urban is the complete package when it comes to musicians.

But to fully appreciate him and his music, you have to travel down a back road to 1997 when he was a part of a band known as The Ranch. The group released a self-titled album then, which was later re-released as Keith Urban in The Ranch in 2004.

You can certainly see traces of the performer we all know today, with solid vocals and great guitar work. I’m always amazed at some of the early music from today’s most popular performers, and Urban’s early tunes won’t disappoint.

I do plan to get back off this interstate ride soon to visit some unique two-lane-road performers – but a ride in the fast lane is always fun every now and then. And Keith Urban is definitely in the fast lane for the foreseeable future.

Bluegrass Johnson comes from a long line of country music performers and enjoys a passion for the rhythm and melody. From the hills of Kentucky, he will offer his opinions on a variety of new country music each week. Readers with questions or comments may write to Johnson in care of this publication.