Ray LaMontagne

Before Ray LaMontagne became a fairly recognizable figure on the adult soft rock scene, he worked in a shoe factory. The life of a mechanized cobbler was a hard one and LaMontagne worked 65 hour weeks quite frequently. One day, after being awakened by a Steven Stills tune, LaMontagne decided to quit his job at the shoe factory and pursue a life as a singer/songwriter. Though this was a mighty ambition to follow, LaMontagne saw it through and after handing a 10 song demo to a record executive, he was awarded a recording contract. His debut album resonated well with a slightly older crowd and even though LaMontagne's songs are mocked by most younger audiences, he's still able to tour and fill up the music halls in which he plays.