Ray LaMontagne

Yes, “talented” vocalists tend to get shrink-wrapped in disposable packages, but it would be a terrible waste to do that to singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne. His albums, including 2008’s Gossip In The Grain, leave generous room for a voice that opens up plenty of breathy, husky marks of aging and scarring, bringing a natural mystique to blues- and soul-based tunes, shiny enough for the adult-contempo crowd and lusty enough for the roots-rock crowd. LaMontagne recently parted ways with longtime producer Ethan Johns and shacked up in the woods to write and self-record last fall’s God Willin’ & The Creek Don’t Rise in just two weeks. That newfound urgency gelled so well with the loose style of backing band The Pariah Dogs that it earned the crew a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album this year.

Updated 05/24/2011