James Blunt (born James Hillier Blount, 22 February 1974) is an English musician who is signed to Linda Perry's American label Custard, and whose debut album, Back To Bedlam, and single releases — especially number one hit "You're Beautiful" — brought him to fame in 2005. His style is a mix of jazz and Northern soul, and comparisons have been made between him and early Elton John. Along with vocals, Blunt plays a wide variety of instruments including the piano, guitar, organ, marimba, and mellotron.
He became the first British artist to top the American singles chart in nearly a decade when "You're Beautiful" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2006. The last British artist to top the US singles chart had been Elton John in 1997.
Blunt was born in in Tidworth, Wiltshire, England in 1974 and educated at Elstree School, Woolhampton, then Harrow School (where he received his nickname 'Blunty'), Bristol University, and finally the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Blunt's father was in the British Army Air Corps, and his family has a long history of military service. The Blount family is also known for the restoration of Cley windmill.
Blunt was then a commissioned officer in the Life Guards regiment, a unit of the Household Cavalry of the British Army. He rose to the rank of Captain and served as a NATO peacekeeper in Kosovo, where as a Lieutenant he commanded the lead of 30,000 troops advancing on Pristina. It was here that he wrote his song "No Bravery". He was also on duty for the funeral of the Queen Mother on 9 April 2002. In a TV4 Nyhetsmorgon interview, he mentioned that he had been shot at more times than 50 Cent.