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[lastfm]Ray LaMontagne[/lastfm] will be performing a streaming concert on the Live on Letterman series right here on May 11th. Just in case you’re one of the two people who aren’t familiar with LaMontagne, we’ve put together a little primer in the form of Ray’s 5 best covers. Sometimes hearing someone perform a song you love is the best way to get to know their sound, and for those of you who already know and love Ray LaMontagne, well, you don’t need much convincing to check out his amazing performances of songs by [lastfm]Gnarls Barkley[/lastfm], [lastfm]John Lennon[/lastfm], [lastfm]Bob Dylan[/lastfm], [lastfm]The Faces[/lastfm], and [lastfm]Lucinda Williams[/lastfm].

Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” Cover By Ray LaMontagne

Ray’s earnest and pained voice, puts Gnarls Barkley‘s mega-hit in perspective. At it’s heart, this song isn’t the club-banging dance track so many people took it as originally; it’s the desperate plea of a man on the verge of insanity as he struggles to reason with the world around him. Oh, and it’s awesome.

Check out Ray’s cover of The Faces “Stay with Me” next…