Hopeless Romantic is the fifth studio album by Jon B. Brought up in Rhode Island, Buck was born to a musical family, with his father David a professor of music, his mother Linda, a concert pianist and his siblings Deborah, a violinist and his brother Kevin, a cellist. He first started singing at the age of four, and learned piano and keyboard by nine. By 16, he played bass and drums as well. Because his grandparents owned a record store, Buck was raised on a varied musical diet that included influences like Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder.