Seven Days: Vermont's Independent Voice

Troubled Waters

Back in February, Ray LaMontagne’s 2010 release God Willin’ and the Creek Don’t Rise snagged the Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album. In its country-tinged title track, the husky-piped singer belts out melancholy lyrics about steady rain (“’Bout to drive us all insane”), and it’s all too easy to picture him penning it just a few weeks ago by the brimming shores of Lake Champlain. Such is the emotive quality that characterizes LaMontagne’s megahits, from “Trouble” to “You Are the Best Thing.” He’ll fuse ’70s-style folk-country with good old-fashioned soul while headlining the first of this season’s Ben & Jerry’s Concerts on the Midway Lawn series.