Keith Urban Offers Recording Of ACM Performance Cover, “Burden”

Keith Urban in the studio recording “Burden.” Photo: Keith Urban/Facebook

This past Sunday (April 7) on the 54th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, Keith Urban took to the stage to deliver an emotionally charged and impassioned performance of  “Burden,” originally written and recorded by Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance. He was later crowned Entertainer of the Year.

“We played at the 02 in London and Ed (Sheeran) came out to see us play,” explains Urban. “We talked about Foy (Vance), who’s an incredible musician and songwriter. The next day, I had a day off in London, so I got on my bike and put my headphones on and road around London for like two hours listening to Foy non-stop.”

“And when I got back to Nashville, I realized that I had never seen him play live – he must be fantastic – so I jumped on YouTube and heard this song “Burden” and just fell in love with him. I thought, ‘I’d love to be able to do a version of the song – the way that I was feeling it in my heart.’”

Recorded in Nashville with co-producer Dave Cobb, the song is a “beautifully written, minimalist prayer” that Urban says spoke to him. “Like the paint that’s drying on a heart that’s broke. Let me carry your burden.”

“It’s not like this is my brand new single, it’s just a song that moved me and a recording that I hope some other people might like.”

“Burden” can now be streamed here.