Where They’re From: Nashua, New Hampshire

Who They Are: Ray LaMontagne is a tall, lanky, bearded guy, with a penchant for rumpled denim shirts and homemade haircuts. Which makes sense, seeing as he lives in a house he built himself on an old farm plot in New England. LaMontagne’s voice has been compared to a dusty cabernet. He plays his guitar like it wronged him, and has more songs full of love and desperation than he knows what to do with. When he plays live, he writhes around on the stage like he had ants in his pants and sings from the depths of his soul and the soles of his shoes. LaMontagne was named an XPN Artist to Watch in May of 2004 and has continued to impress fans with a reliable, robust discography.

Years Active: 1999 – present

Essential Albums: Trouble (2004), God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise (2010), Ouroboros (2016)