James Blunt (James Hillier Blount, born 22 February 1974) is a singer-songwriter from Wiltshire, UK, ditching his military career to pursue his love of pop music.
Having served six years in the army, reaching the rank of captain and embarking on a tour of duty during the Kosovo conflict, James Blunt turned away from his military career in order to pursue his first love, music. A decision which would lead to tremendous success, selling over 20 million albums and 17 million singles worldwide.
His debut album, "Back to Bedlam" (2004) brought Blunt's music into worldwide acclaim, selling over 11 million copies and topping the UK Album charts and reaching the number two spot in the US. It was the third single from the album that proved to be Blunt's breakout hit, with "You're Beautiful" spending six weeks at number one in the UK. Following this success, the album rose to number one in the UK Albums Chart, as well as topping the charts in 16 territories worldwide, eventually becoming the best selling album of the 2000s in the UK.
His brand of pop-folk has found similarities with Damien Rice and David Gray, yet perhaps with greater, more accessible pop sensibilities prevalent in his songs. Following "Back to Bedlam," Blunt has released three further albums, with his second, "All the Lost Souls" (2007) topping the charts in over 20 countries and his latest two, "Some Kind of Trouble" (2010) and "Moon Landing" (2013) receiving positive critical acclaim. During his career he has received a host of accolades, including five Grammy Award nominations, two Ivor Novello Awards, as well as 'Best New Act' at the Q and MTV music awards.
Blunt has been heavily involved in charitable activity throughout his career, raising funds for the MSF (Doctors Across Borders) as well as being the patron for UK charity Help For Heroes.
Lucy Bedroque
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