It's a bit hard to believe that God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise is the fourth album from the soulful singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne. It doesn’t seem so far off from when many of us first stopped us in our tracks upon hearing the song “Trouble” from his debut album. But over the course of his career, Ray has captivated audiences with an emotionally driven songbook, a voice that summons goose bumps and a fascinating aversion to the spotlight he so requires.

Whether or not Ray LaMontagne will become this generation's Van Morrison is something that's yet to be determined, but you'll be hard-pressed to find another singer who combines light and dark, power and subtlety as well as this New Hampshire native. His second album - Till The Sun Turns Black - is another well thought-out, well delivered set of music.

One of XPN’s Artists To Watch for 2004, singer-songwriter, Ray Lamontagne explains how Stephen Stills saved his life. One of six children raised by a single mom who worked hard to make ends meet, Lamontagne – who barely made it out of high school left his family for Lewiston, Maine. Bored, going nowhere in his life and doing some serious soul searching Ray was in Lewiston working long hard hours in a shoe factory when he experienced a musical epiphany.

It's a bit hard to believe that God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise is the fourth album from the soulful singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne. It doesn’t seem so far off from when many of us first stopped us in our tracks upon hearing the song “Trouble” from his debut album. But over the course of his career, Ray has captivated audiences with an emotionally driven songbook, a voice that summons goose bumps and a fascinating aversion to the spotlight he so requires.

On his third album, Gossip in the Grain, Ray LaMontagne breaks out of his own mold a bit, relying less on lamenting love loss and seemingly is more centered on expanding into more hopeful musical territories . The album's opening track is evidence. "You Are the Best Thing" is perhaps, up to this point, the most optimistic we've ever heard Ray.

Whether or not Ray LaMontagne will become this generation's Van Morrison is something that's yet to be determined, but you'll be hard-pressed to find another singer who combines light and dark, power and subtlety as well as this New Hampshire native. His second album - Till The Sun Turns Black - is another well thought-out, well delivered set of music.

One of XPN’s Artists To Watch for 2004, singer-songwriter, Ray Lamontagne explains how Stephen Stills saved his life. One of six children raised by a single mom who worked hard to make ends meet, Lamontagne – who barely made it out of high school left his family for Lewiston, Maine. Bored, going nowhere in his life and doing some serious soul searching Ray was in Lewiston working long hard hours in a shoe factory when he experienced a musical epiphany.

Hear a live concert every Friday at 12noon ET from WXPN and NPR Music
Broadcast live from the stage at World Cafe Live

Ray LaMontagne reached new heights with his third studio release in 2008, "Gossip in the Grain," and the album solidified the musician as a great musician, and a worldwide phenomenon. Reaching #3 on the charts, Ray also performed on SNL. His fans across the world are hotly waiting for his new release of "God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise,"on August 17. This country tinged album, His new CD was recorded - with his band, The Pariah Dogs - complete with banjo and slide guitar in LaMontagne's woodsey home in Massachusetts.

Ray LaMontagne and The Pariah Dogs, will perform live on August 13 as part of WXPN's and NPR's Live Friday Free At Noon Concert Series. The new album can be heard on NPR.org/music, in its entirety, until its official release on August 17.

Ray LaMontagne plays with David Gray at the Susquehanna Bank Center, Friday night, August 13.

Come and experience Ray LaMontagne's stirring emotion, grit, and warmth as he performs WXPN's Live Friday Free At Noon concert, only at the World Cafe Live on Friday at 12noon ET. Hear it on your radio, or at XPN.org/listen, or join as at World Cafe Live.

Listen to the Full Live Concert Live, Archived on NPR.org/music.

Free At Noon Setlist
1. For the Summer
2. New York City’s Killing Me
3. Beg Steal or Borrow
4. This Love Is Over
5. Like Rock & Roll and Radio
6. Old Before Your Time
7. Trouble
8. Repo Man

Live Friday Free At Noon Concert Archives

PARKING NOTICE and Directions

Due to the construction in the area, free parking is no longer available for XPN Free At Noon shows. Metered parking on 31st street is no longer available, and metered parking on Walnut Street is extremely limited as a result of the closure and reconstruction of the South Street Bridge, and the rerouting of traffic onto Walnut Street.

Public transportation to XPN Free At Noon is recommended. For more information on parking in the area visit World Cafe Live.

Find more information on directions and public transportation here.

Serving People in Need - Help Drive Hunger from Our Communities

When you come to XPN's Free At Noon Concerts, bring a can of food to support Philabundance, Delaware Valley's hunger relief organization. We have drop-off boxes to collect canned goods for the needy. Current priority items include: canned pasta, chili, beef stew, tuna, mac & cheese, ready to eat cereal, pork & beans/ baked beans, green beans, corn, fruit cocktail, creamy peanut butter and/ or grape jelly (plastic containers only), and boxed sugar. Thanks!

WXPN and NPR Music Live Friday Free At Noon Concert Archives Include:

Dr. Dog, Carrie Rodriguez, Annuals, DeVotchKa, Adele, Angel Taylor, Winterpills, Sharon Little, Ollabelle, Andrew Lipke, The Low Anthem, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Sean Lennon, Chris Smith, California Guitar trio, Joan Osborne, Disco Biscuits, Damien Rice, Cold War Kids, Marc Broussard, The Slip, Arlo Guthrie, Alice Smith, The Dears, Barenaked Ladies, and more...

WXPN Free at Noon Photo Gallery at Flickr
Click to visit our gallery for photos of the Free At Noon Concerts! Previous concerts include Hall & Oates, O.A.R., Citizen Cope, Old Crow Medicine Show, Kaki King and many more!

Live at the World Cafe Volume 28

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Call 1-800-565-WXPN or pledge online.

Pick up your copy at the XPN Music Store online!

Various Artists
Live at the World Cafe, Volume 27
(World Cafe)

World Cafe with David Dye has just polished off the track list for the 27th Volume in its incredible series of live recordings from XPN's signature program. Artists including Brett Dennen, Bon Iver, Calexico, Jenny Lewis, Aimee Mann, Jonatha Brooke, Old 97's, Ra Ra Riot, Ray LaMontagne, Sharon Jones, Taj Mahal, and many others have contributed to this stellar collection.

Become a Member of XPN and pick up
your copy now.