Urban married actress Nicole Kidman in 2006

The 39-year-old claims the artist's site deliberately misleads visitors into thinking it belongs to him.

A message on the site says: "You have reached the site of Keith Urban. To those who don't know, oil painting is one of my hobbies."

Urban wants it shut down and control of the keithurban.com name, according to papers filed in Nashville, Tennessee.

The legal case accuses the New Jersey painter of trademark infringement and violating cyber-squatting regulations.

The country star, whose own website is at keithurban.net, also claims that people are being duped into buying paintings which appear to be produced or endorsed by him.

Urban is married to Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman, and has scored hits in the US with songs such as Stupid Boy and Who Wouldn't Want to Be Me.

He has been named male vocalist of the year twice at the Country Music Association Awards, and is about to embark on a world tour.

The singer recently completed a three-month stay in rehab, where he was being treated for alcohol addiction.