James Blunt - 1973

A former British Army officer, singer/songwriter James Blunt is a thoughtful performer with a knack for crafting melodic contemporary soft rock tunes.

Born in Tidworth, Wiltshire, England in 1974 to a family with a long military history, Blunt entered the army after graduating from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Ultimately achieving the rank of captain, Blunt served with the NATO peacekeeping force in Kosovo and finished out his time in the military as a member of the Life Guard Regiment in the British Household Cavalry.

Having long been interested in music, Blunt wasted no time in pursuing a pop career after leaving the army. A subsequent performance at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, TX, brought Blunt to the attention of 4 Non Blondes singer/producer Linda Perry, who signed Blunt to her Custard Records label.

Released in 2005, Blunt's debut album, Back to Bedlam, was hugely successful and featured the hit single "You're Beautiful." Blunt toured for much of 2005 and 2006 and released the two-disc "odds and sods" live/documentary album Chasing Time: The Bedlam Sessions in 2006. His sophomore effort is scheduled to drop in 2007.