I probably wouldn’t be a songwriter if I didn’t grow up the way I did. It was difficult and it was at times very scary to grow up in a household so unsettled and at times very violent. But, it also, I guess it earned me a sort of wisdom at a young age that’s served me well. – Ray LaMontagne
You can make bad choices and find yourself in a downward spiral or you can find something that gets you out of it. – Ray LaMontagne
I am very self-critical, but that’s a good thing because it keeps me growing as a human being and as a musician. – Ray LaMontagne
It bugs me that people think my songs are personal because it means I have to explain myself all the time. – Ray LaMontagne
I always felt, as a listener at a show, that when there was too much banter between the artist and the audience that it detracted from the show. I more enjoyed shows where the guys came out and they just played. – Ray LaMontagne
The thing I love about music is that you can take things that are painful, deep things that hurt you, and you can turn them into something beautiful. – Ray LaMontagne
When I think of folk music, I think of topical songs. And I don’t write topical songs. – Ray LaMontagne
It’s so easy to get caught up in your own experiences. They can seem so important. But there are billions and billions of other experiences going on. – Ray LaMontagne
Well… you know, I love motorcycles. They’re just beautiful, and there’s a certain craftsmanship in older bikes, older Triumphs or BSAs or Norton. I’m just very attracted to it. – Ray LaMontagne
Social situations, for me – it’s very natural for me to be an observer. That’s where I’m most comfortable. I observe things. – Ray LaMontagne
The label doesn’t do anything but put your record in the store, that’s all they do. And tell you, you don’t have a single… and tell you, it’s not gonna sell… that’s what the label does. – Ray LaMontagne
In order to get a note out, I have to dig deep, and I mean that on an emotional level. To physically sing, I have to get somewhere deep before I can do it. – Ray LaMontagne
When I pick up the guitar, it’s a melody, and that’s what drives the lyrics. It’s bits and pieces of truth, but it is storytelling. – Ray LaMontagne
I was really lost for a while in my teens. I was angry. But when I found music – Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell – it was a new discovery. It was a door to this other world where I wanted to be. – Ray LaMontagne
We all have that inner voice that is wise, even if we don’t always follow it. It’s that voice I’m trying to listen to. – Ray LaMontagne
Writing songs is not something I wanted to share with people for a long time. It was precious to me. I didn’t want someone to crush it. I waited until I felt strong enough to take the criticism. – Ray LaMontagne
