Listen to James Blunt songs. James Blunt was born as James Hillier Blount on February 22, 1974. James Blunt is an English singer-songwriter whose debut album, Back to Bedlam, and single releases — especially the number one hit "You're Beautiful" — brought him to fame in 2005. His style is a mix of pop and acoustic rock. Along with vocals, James Blunt plays a wide variety of instruments including the piano, guitar, organ, marimba, and mellotron. He is signed to Linda Perry's American label Custard, and became the first British artist to top the American singles chart in nearly a decade when his song "You're Beautiful" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2006. The last British artist to do so had been Elton John in 1997 with the song "Candle in the Wind". Blunt won two BRIT Awards and was nominated for four Grammy Awards in 2006. James Blunt was born at a British Army hospital, the son and grandson of senior army officers. James Blunt was sent to board at Elstree School aged seven, and at thirteen was accepted into Harrow School. While there, and aged only sixteen, he became one of the youngest holders of a UK Private Pilot Licence. He read aeronautical engineering at Bristol University on an army bursary which required him to enlist on graduation. He joined the Life Guards the senior regiment in the British Army. During his four years service he was promoted to Captain with the British Army and served as a NATO peacekeeper in Kosovo, one of the first to enter those areas where war crimes had been committed. It was this experience that led to his writing of the song "No Bravery". After his tour of duty in Kosovo he was sent to Switzerland where he became the captain of the Household Cavalry downhill ski team. One of his final duties in the army before retirement was the funeral of the Queen Mother on April 9, 2002, where he carried her coffin. He has said that he had been shot at more times than 50 Cent.
