During a visit to 'Ellen' on Wednesday (Jan. 13), Keith Urban opened up about his late father, giving his dad full credit for making him the career man he is today. Urban says Robert "Bob" Urban influenced him greatly and was very involved in his development as an artist, setting him on a path toward country music.

"His — well, our — record collection was all American country music and that’s really what pointed me in the direction of Nashville,” the superstar tells Ellen DeGeneres.

Urban’s dad passed away in December after a 10-year battle with cancer, but his legacy lives on. He was the one who started Urban on the journey toward being the masterful guitar player he is today by putting an ad in his store window looking for a guitar teacher for his son, the Daily Mail reports. Soon after, Urban began taking lessons and performing in local competitions. The artist put out his first album in 1990, and two years later, headed to Nashville.

Urban talked about his dad in great depth during his Country Music Hall of Fame exhibit opening on Dec. 1.

“My dad particularly always thought it was important that I dressed like a performer, so a lot of those outfits were actually made by him, with the help of my mom, but particularly my dad,” Urban reveals. “He just really thought I should dress well and look like a performer.”

The “Break on Me” singer reached out to fans to thank them for their kindness in the wake of the tragedy just after his father’s death was made public.

“I’ve been deeply touched by the outpouring of love and support that Nic and I, and our family, have received since my Dad’s passing on Saturday night,” Urban wrote in a statement after his father’s death. “His long battle with cancer is now over and he is finally at peace. My Dad’s love of country music and America set me on my life’s journey, and shaped so much of who I am today. Thank you to everyone who has kept us all in your thoughts and prayers.”

The singer recently announced his Ripcord Tour, which will kick off this summer and run through November, hitting more than 50 cities along the way. He will be joined by Maren Morris and Brett Eldredge, with whom he recently performed an impromptu performance of Adele’s "Rolling in the Deep."

See Photos From Keith Urban's Country Music Hall of Fame Exhibit

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