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Keith Urban’s father has passed away following a “long battle with cancer”

Just days after confirming his father was terminally ill, Keith Urban's dad, Robert Urban, has passed away.
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The 48-year-old singer confirmed the sad news to People, revealing his dad died on Saturday.

“I’ve been deeply touched by the outpouring of love and support that [Nicole Kidman] and I, and our family, have received since my Dad’s passing on Saturday night,” his moving statement explained.

“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.”

It comes after the country singer told The Tennessean that Robert had been admitted to hospice care.

“He’s probably only got a few weeks, if that,” the father-of-three confessed at an exhibit to honour his incredible career at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville on Tuesday.

“I’ve just been dealing with that the last couple of days. This has all come at a very strange time where it’s typical of a career that has extreme highs and extreme lows all often at the exact same time,” he added.

“So [the exhibit] is bittersweet a little bit because [my dad] is the catalyst for all of this. My dad is the catalyst for me living in America.”

Keith was incredibly close to his father.

The Grammy winner has always credited his dad for instilling his love of country music into him.

Before his youngest son found fame, Robert lived a humble life running a local convenience store in Caboolture, Queensland.

Robert leaves behind his wife Marienne and granddaughters Faith Kidman Urban and Sunday Rose Kidman Urban.

It’s yet another devastating blow to the Kidman-Urban clan following the tragic passing of Nicole’s father Dr Antony Kidman last year.

Close-knit family: Just last year Nicole lost her father.

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