Keith Urban just played his first show since news broke of his split with Nicole Kidman amid a possible new romance … and the guitarist at the center of the rumors was notably absent — but not for the reason many assume.

A source with direct knowledge tells TMZ … Maggie Baugh, who played with Keith’s tour in Chicago, sparking romance rumors due to some apparent lyric rewrites … is not actually a member of his tour band or the opening acts.

Turns out, Maggie was filling in for Natalie Stovall when she was unable to perform in Chicago. Ergo … she wasn’t at last night’s show at Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania … ’cause she wasn’t needed — not due to her possibly bailing over the headlines.

Since TMZ broke the news of Keith and Nicole’s split — and also KU possibly seeing another woman — Maggie has been radio silent, which has created a gossip feeding-frenzy.

Her father, Chuck Baugh, addressed rumors and criticisms of his daughter with a since-deleted Facebook post in which he wrote “No. Just no” about a TikTok that discussed the possible romance and criticism that Maggie, essentially, is a homewrecker.

Here’s the issue … it’s unclear what exactly Chuck was disputing … it could be he was pushing back on criticism of Maggie driving a wedge between Keith and Nicole, ’cause they don’t know the full story … or perhaps he was shutting down the rumors altogether — as in, there is nothing romantic there.

As for his concert last night … Keith did not have his wedding ring on — though he’d already ditched it days earlier out in public. But during one track at the show, People reports a photo of Nicole and their two children appeared as part of a pre-existing screen display.