James Blunt (real name: James Blount) is an English singer-songwriter who shot to fame in 2005 with the success of his song "You're Beautiful" and the asociated album release, "Back To Bedlam".
Blunt's father, Charles Blount, was a colonel in the British Army. The Army sponsored James' education and, after he earned a Sociology degree from the University of Bristol, James served for four years in the armed forces, working under NATO in Kosovo during the conflict there in 1999.
Blunt left the British Army in 2002 to pursue a music career. His frist record deal was to Linda Perry's Custard Records.