Raymond Charles Jack LaMontagne (born June 18, 1973) is an American songwri… Read Full Bio ↴Raymond Charles Jack LaMontagne (born June 18, 1973) is an American songwriter, singer and musician. LaMontagne has released eight studio albums, Trouble, Till the Sun Turns Black, Gossip in the Grain, God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise, Supernova, Ouroboros, Part of the Light, and Monovision. He was born in New Hampshire and was inspired to create music after hearing an album by Stephen Stills. Critics have compared LaMontagne's music to that of Otis Redding, The Band, Van Morrison, Nick Drake and Tim Buckley.

Early life
LaMontagne was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, in 1973, one of six children raised by his mother. In his early teens he lived in Morgan, Utah, and was more interested in drawing images of Dungeons & Dragons than in his school work. After graduating from high school, LaMontagne moved to Lewiston, Maine, and found work in a shoe factory. LaMontagne also spent a significant amount of time in Wilton, Maine. Other sources state that by his teen years he was living in Maine, spending time in Turner and Buckfield.

Style
LaMontagne has a unique vocal style which he says is created by singing through his gut instead of through his nose. He cites Stephen Stills, Richard Manuel, and Rick Danko as strong musical influences while critics have compared LaMontagne's music to that of The Band, Van Morrison, Nick Drake, and Tim Buckley.[failed verification] A Rolling Stone review of his album Supernova referred to his voice as an "impeccably weathered tenor croon" and his phrasing as "marble-mouthed."

Awards
For his debut album, LaMontagne won four awards, including three Boston Music Awards (Best Male Singer-Songwriter, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year) and an XM Nation Music Award for Acoustic Rock Artist of the Year. LaMontagne has received a nomination from the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards for Best New Touring Artist, the BRIT Awards for International Breakthrough Act, the MOJO Awards for Best New Act, and was given the title of Best Voice in 2006 by Esquire.

In 2011, Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs received two Grammy Award nominations, and they were awarded the Grammy for the Best Contemporary Folk Album for God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise.

Controversy
On July 23, 2014, during a show at the Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan, LaMontagne interrupted a song and walked off stage as a result of two fans talking during his concert, after having previously asked the audience to quiet down. The incident included yelling profanity at the couple before walking off stage. Once the couple was escorted away LaMontagne continued the concert.

On September 20, 2016, LaMontagne announced that he was canceling a September 22 show at the Bass Concert Hall at the University of Texas at Austin, due to Texas's recently implemented campus carry law.

Personal life
In 2009, LaMontagne paid $1.05 million for a 103-acre farm in Ashfield, Massachusetts, the former residence of U.S. Ambassador William C. Bullitt, where he lives with his wife, Sarah Sousa, and their two children in the farmhouse built in 1830. Sousa is a published poet via Red Mountain Press and their sons are budding artists. He refers to himself as a "very private person" and rarely gives interviews.

She
Ray LaMontagne Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I never felt like I had anybody
That I could really talk to
I never felt like I met anybody
That I would even want to
To try and get to know any better
But that was before I met her

She's the one!

Oh she is the one!

I wish somebody could tell me what's goin
On inside of my head
I got to find a doctor to figure out
What's goin on in my head
He said 'son can you tell me where it hurts'
This is all that I said

She's the one!
Oh she is the one!
I just got to get to know that girl!
I just got to get to know that girl!

It's almost more than I can take I think I'm
About to lose my cool-ah
I can barely hold a conversation,
My friends are beginning to wonder
I can't even walk down the street without my
Feet falling out from under

She's the one!
Oh she is the one!
She's the one!
Oh she is the one!

I just got to get to know that girl!
I just got to get to know that girl!

Overall Meaning

In Ray LaMontagne's She's the One, the singer describes his personal struggles with connecting with people and finding someone to talk to before meeting a certain woman who changes everything. He explains how he had never encountered anyone who he felt he could really connect with or even want to get to know better, but he finally found that in this woman. The chorus powerfully declares that she is "the one."

The second verse describes the singer feeling lost and confused, like he needs help and a doctor to diagnose what is lingering in his mind. However, all he can say to explain himself is that he needs to get to know this woman. The final verse emphasizes the overwhelming effect this woman has on the singer to the point where he is losing his composure and struggling to hold conversations. Even walking down the street becomes a challenge when she's on his mind.

Overall, She's the One illustrates the impact of true connection and how it can change a person's outlook on life. The lyrics convey the intensity of the singer's emotions and how one person can make all the difference in someone's life.

Line by Line Meaning

I never felt like I had anybody
I have always felt alone and unsupported

That I could really talk to
That I had someone who would genuinely listen to me

I never felt like I met anybody
I have never found anyone who resonates with me

That I would even want to
That I would be interested in getting to know better

To try and get to know any better
To attempt to form a deeper connection

But that was before I met her
Meeting her has changed everything

She's the one!
She is the person I have been searching for

Oh she is the one!
She is the missing piece of my life

I wish somebody could tell me what's goin
I am struggling to understand what is happening

On inside of my head
In my thoughts and feelings

I got to find a doctor to figure out
I need professional help to sort things out