Ray LaMontagne's awaited ninth studio album Long Way Home out today

RAY LAMONTAGNE’S AWAITED NINTH STUDIO ALBUM LONG WAY HOME OUT TODAY BREAKOUT SINGLE “STEP INTO YOUR POWER” HITS #1 AT BILLBOARD ADULT ALTERNATIVE, MEDIABASE TRIPLE A & AMERICANA CHARTS NEW U.S. SOLO HEADLINING TOUR DATES & TOUR WITH GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV ON SALE NOW  Photo credit: Brian Stowell "It’s a thread through the whole album, songs of a settled satisfaction interspersed with odes of love and idyllic journeys held in contrast to the madness of modern life—largely sung in a gentler, airier tone closer to his speaking voice, the music mostly built around acoustic guitars, some keyboards, and drums, a pedal steel here, some strings sounds there.” “LaMontagne sounds more comfortable, and contented, than ever on his ninth studio  album, Long Way Home. These songs are thoroughly enjoyable in a universal sense." "The New England musician turns out beautifully crafted contemporary folk music heavy on delicate harmonies. Across nine tracks, he weaves his soft but powerful vocals across acoustic guitars for a relaxed, unrushed vibe. There are more than enough  tracks here that are bound to satisfy long-time LaMontagne fans." "The Grammy winning singer-songwriter’s voice is as soulful as it ever was. There’s a hoarseness to it. A rasp like a weathered twine holding the shed doors together; like a homemade swing hanging from an oak tree in the back yard.” August 16, 2024— Ray LaMontagne—the celebrated Grammy award winner—returns from a 4-year LP hiatus today with his anticipated ninth studio album Long Way Home, releasing via the highly independent artist’s newly created label Liula Records —listen/purchase here. The breakout lead single from the project “Step Into Your Power” just hit #1 at Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay, Mediabase Triple A, and Americana Singles charts, marking LaMontagne’s 3rd #1 of his career—watch the lyric video for the track animated by his son Tobias here. The foot-tapping, nostalgia laden track features choral backing vocals from The Secret Sisters. Watch the music video for the second single “Long Way Home” here. A somber, bittersweet rumination on times past, the video features visuals from his son Tobias and collage art by his daughter-in-law Bella. Hear the latest single “I Wouldn’t Change A Thing” here. The core of Long Way Home reverberates deep into LaMontagne’s youth—at 21-years-old, in a small club in Minneapolis, he recalls seeing Townes Van Zandt perform live. A line from “To Live Is To Fly” has stuck with him ever since; Van Zandt sang, “When here you been is good an gone, all you keep is the getting there.” LaMontagne reflects, “Thirty years later it occurs to me that every song on Long Way Home is in one way or another honoring the journey. The languorous days of youth and innocence. The countless battles of adulthood, some won, more often lost. It's been a long hard road, and I wouldn’t change a minute. It took me nine songs to express what Townes managed to say in one line. I guess I still got a lot to learn.” LaMontagne has spent the past two decades carving a singular space for himself in modern music. In a career that has seen overflowing critical acclaim, he’s opted out of the spotlight and its accompanying celebrity in the remote hills of Western Massachusetts. The New York Times accounts, “Visiting Ray LaMontagne is like going back to another century.” His distinctive voice, described by Rolling Stone as an “impeccably weathered tenor croon”, continues to serve as a conduit for era-defining melodies and songwriting. Across eight studio albums, LaMontagne has let his songs and story speak for themselves, ringing a deep chord in the American subconscious. As has come to be expected through his extensive and awarded discography, LaMontagne delivers yet again on record nine with a cohesive, impressive effort. Produced in tandem with Seth Kauffman (Floating Action, Angel Olsen, Lana Del Ray), Long Way Home’s nine moving tracks recall the folk-rock explosion of the early seventies, while aptly sitting among the modern Americana revival that LaMontagne was integral in fueling. Recorded over the course of a few weeks in his home studio, LaMontagne tapped both long-time and new collaborators across the record—The Secret Sisters provide backing vocals on the first three tracks, while the album was engineered and mixed by the team of LaMontagne, Kauffman, and Ariel Bernstein. The album artwork furthers that LaMontagne is cracking the window open to his audience: the piece, a woodblock print by artist Barbara S. Beck, hangs above LaMontagne’s desk where he’s written most of his albums. Long Way Home is LaMontagne’s first full-length effort since 2020’s MONOVISION, a stripped back solo-recording heralded by American Songwriter as “soothing, but never clichéd warmth in retro-style.” In support of the album, LaMontagne will embark on a solo headline U.S. tour with support from The Secret Sisters, including stops in Austin, New Orleans and Orlando. Tickets are on sale now—see below for dates, full show details can be found here. The 9 new shows, beginning September 17, will run midway through the previously announced tour with Gregory Alan Isakov. See full tour routing below. Acclaimed singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne has released eight studio albums since his 2004 debut, Trouble, which is certified RIAA Platinum. 2006’s Till the Sun Turns Black and 2008’s Gossip in the Grain saw RIAA Gold certifications. LaMontagne received two Grammy nominations and won the award for Best Contemporary Folk Album for God Willin’ and the Creek Don’t Rise. In 2010 he began recording as Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs. 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. Album artwork TRACK LIST LONG WAY HOME 1. Step Into Your Power 2. I Wouldn’t Change A Thing 3. Yearning 4. And They Called Her California 5. La De Dum, La De Da 6. My Lady Fair 7. The Way Things Are 8. So, Damned, Blue 9. Long Way Home SOLO HEADLINE TOUR DATES September 17—El Paso, TX—Abraham Chavez Theatre September 19—Austin, TX—ACL Live at the Moody Theater September 20—Dallas, TX—Music Hall at Fair Park September 21—New Orleans, LA—Orpheum Theatre September 23—Chattanooga, TN—Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Auditorium September 24—Birmingham, AL—Alabama Theatre September 26—St. Petersburg, FL—The Mahaffey Theater September 27—Fort Lauderdale, FL—Broward Center for the Performing Arts - Au Rene Theater September 28—Orlando, FL—Steinmetz Hall at Dr. Phillips Center  for the Performing Arts TOUR DATES WITH GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV September 4—Missoula, MT—KettleHouse Amphitheater September 6—Seattle, WA—Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery Amphitheatre September 7—Seattle, WA—Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery Amphitheatre September 8—Bend, OR—Hayden Homes Amphitheatre September 10—Jacksonville, OR—Britt Pavilion September 11—Berkeley, CA—Greek Theatre September 12—Los Angeles, CA—YouTube Theater September 14—San Diego, CA— Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre September 15—Phoenix, AZ—Arizona Federal Theatre October 1—Charleston, SC—Firefly Distillery October 2—Asheville, NC—ExlporeAsheville. com Arena October 4—Cincinnati, OH—Andrew J Brady Center October 5—Indianapolis, IN—Everwise Amphitheater October 6—Franklin, TN—FirstBank Amphitheater October 8—Baltimore, MD—Pier Six Pavilion October 9—Charlottesville, VA—Ting Pavilion October 11—Atlanta, GA—Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park October 12—Charlotte, NC—Skyla Credit Union Amphitheater October 13—Raleigh, NC—Red Hat Amphitheater www.raylamontagne.com