Biography
Who is James Blunt?
Early life and education
James Hillier Blount was born on February 22, 1974, in Tidworth, United Kingdom. His mother, Jane Ann Farran Amos, managed a ski chalet business. His father, Charles Blount, served as a helicopter pilot and cavalry officer. Because of his father's military postings, James lived in several places throughout his childhood, including Cyprus, Germany, and various towns in England.
He attended the Harrow School where he took classes in economics, physics, and chemistry. Later, he attended the University of Bristol. He initially studied civil engineering before switching his focus to sociology. He successfully graduated with a BSc degree in 1996. During his teenage years, he also earned his private pilot license at age 16 and enjoyed riding motorbikes.
Military service
Following his university studies, he fulfilled a commitment to serve in the British armed forces. He received training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He joined the Life Guards as a commissioned officer and rose to the rank of captain. In 1999, he deployed to Kosovo with the Blues and Royals. His unit worked near the border of Macedonia and Yugoslavia to target Serbian forces. He especially led peacekeeping troops toward Pristina International Airport.
During this deployment, he carried a guitar on his tank and wrote the song No Bravery. He later served as a member of the Queen's Guard in London and stood watch during the funeral procession for Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. He left the army in October 2002 after serving for six years.
Music career and breakthrough
After leaving the military, he adopted the stage name James Blunt. He contacted the manager of Elton John to show his demo. In 2003, he signed a recording contract with Linda Perry at Custard Records. He traveled to Los Angeles to record his debut album, Back to Bedlam, with producer Tom Rothrock. During this time, he lived in the home of actress Carrie Fisher.
The album was released in 2004 and became a big success. His single You're Beautiful reached number one in thirteen different countries. By 2009, Back to Bedlam had sold over 12 million copies worldwide. It became the best-selling album of the 2000s in the UK.
Later albums and awards
His musical success continued with the release of his second album, All the Lost Souls, in 2007. This album also topped the charts in twelve countries. Over the next two decades, he released several additional studio albums, including Some Kind of Trouble, Moon Landing, The Afterlove, Once Upon a Mind, and Who We Used to Be.
His career has been marked by significant industry recognition. He has won two Brit Awards, including Best British Male in 2006. He also received two MTV Video Music Awards and two Ivor Novello Awards. Also, he earned five Grammy Award nominations. In 2016, the University of Bristol presented him with an Honorary Doctorate of Music.
Birthday and age
James Blunt was born on February 22, 1974, which makes James 52 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. James shares the date with 33 other famous people.
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