--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't really think of myself as a folk…" description: "\"I don't really think of myself as a folk singer.\" — Ray LaMontagne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/ray-lamontagne-14474_folk_i-don-t-really-think-of-myself-as-a-folk_2839659.jpg" --- # I don't really think of myself as a folk singer. ![“I don't really think of myself as a folk singer.” quote by Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/ray-lamontagne-14474_folk_i-don-t-really-think-of-myself-as-a-folk_2839659.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/ray-lamontagne-14474_folk_i-don-t-really-think-of-myself-as-a-folk_2839659.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/ray-lamontagne-14474_folk_i-don-t-really-think-of-myself-as-a-folk_2839659.jpg) > “I don't really think of myself as a folk singer.” [Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He sees himself beyond fitting a genre label, emphasizing personal identity over external classification. **In simple terms:** He doesn’t identify as a folk singer. Key Takeaway Embrace your true self, not labels. Themes identity genre self‑perception Mood introspective reflective Type personal statement artist quote When to use this quote - songwriting - public image - marketing - audience expectations Key Concepts artist identity genre fluidity Questions to Reflect On - Do you feel genre expectations shape your art? - How can you define yourself beyond labels? A Different Perspective Labels can limit creative freedom and audience reach. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Folk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folk/) [Singers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singers/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think of myself as a folk singer per se, but I really like blues and string-band music. When I started listening to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loudon-wainwright-iii/i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-a-folk-singer-per-se-but-i-really-like/) [Loudon Wainwright III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loudon-wainwright-iii/) > [Everybody would grab a guitar and listen to somebody else and call themselves a folk singer. When they didn't know no more songs, they'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brownie-mcghee/everybody-would-grab-a-guitar-and-listen-to-somebody-else-and-call/) [Brownie McGhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brownie-mcghee/) > [When I think of folk music, I think of topical songs. And I don't write topical songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/when-i-think-of-folk-music-i-think-of-topical-songs-and-i-don-t-write/) [Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) > [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [If someone asked what kind of music I play, I wouldn't say I'm a folk singer; however, if folk music means music for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langhorne-slim/if-someone-asked-what-kind-of-music-i-play-i-wouldn-t-say-i-m-a-folk/) [Langhorne Slim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langhorne-slim/) > [At one stage, I wanted to be a folk singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-allam/at-one-stage-i-wanted-to-be-a-folk-singer/) [Roger Allam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-allam/) > [In my early life, I was a professional folk singer. I used to sing on the national television and radio in Canada. Nobody knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gordon/in-my-early-life-i-was-a-professional-folk-singer-i-used-to-sing-on/) [Mary Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gordon/) > [People seem to think that folk music is people with acoustic guitars. Or punk music is people with mohawks, leather jackets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avey-tare/people-seem-to-think-that-folk-music-is-people-with-acoustic-guitars/) [Avey Tare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avey-tare/) > [I think folk music helps reinforce your sense of history. An old song makes you think of times gone by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-seeger/i-think-folk-music-helps-reinforce-your-sense-of-history-an-old-song/) [Pete Seeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-seeger/) > [I'm an old-fashioned folk singer. I stand in front of an audience with a guitar and a barstool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/i-m-an-old-fashioned-folk-singer-i-stand-in-front-of-an-audience-with/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [It's a folk singer's job to comfort disturbed people and to disturb comfortable people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-guthrie/it-s-a-folk-singer-s-job-to-comfort-disturbed-people-and-to-disturb/) [Woody Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-guthrie/) > [I love a lot of music that's considered folk music, but I also love a lot of music that's considered punk or considered rap.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langhorne-slim/i-love-a-lot-of-music-that-s-considered-folk-music-but-i-also-love-a/) [Langhorne Slim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langhorne-slim/) > [If I wasn't an actor, I'd be a moody folk singer, sitting on stools and being very depressing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mangan/if-i-wasn-t-an-actor-i-d-be-a-moody-folk-singer-sitting-on-stools-and/) [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) > [It's interesting to marry American musical traditions with the subtlety of English-style storytelling and folk singer-songwriters like Martin Carthy and Bert Jansch - they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-flynn/it-s-interesting-to-marry-american-musical-traditions-with-the/) [Johnny Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-flynn/) > [I used to be a folk singer, but I was... dreadful. I had a voice like a goose farting in the fog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-connolly/i-used-to-be-a-folk-singer-but-i-was-dreadful-i-had-a-voice-like-a/) [Billy Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-connolly/) ## More by Ray LaMontagne > [It bugs me that people think my songs are personal because it means I have to explain myself all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/it-bugs-me-that-people-think-my-songs-are-personal-because-it-means-i/) [Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) > [I need space between me and the audience - and the more space the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/i-need-space-between-me-and-the-audience-and-the-more-space-the-better/) [Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) > [The thing I love about music is that you can take things that are painful, deep things that hurt you, and you can turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/the-thing-i-love-about-music-is-that-you-can-take-things-that-are/) [Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) > [“And when all your faith is gone let it be me, if it's a friend you need let it be me”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/and-when-all-your-faith-is-gone-let-it-be-me-if-it-s-a-friend-you/) [Ray Lamontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) > [Social situations, for me - it's very natural for me to be an observer. That's where I'm most comfortable. I observe things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/social-situations-for-me-it-s-very-natural-for-me-to-be-an-observer/) [Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) > [“But everything I have to give, I'll give to you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/but-everything-i-have-to-give-i-ll-give-to-you/) [Ray Lamontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) > [There's a real sense of desperation when you grow up in poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/there-s-a-real-sense-of-desperation-when-you-grow-up-in-poverty/) [Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) > [It's so easy to get caught up in your own experiences. They can seem so important. But there are billions and billions of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/it-s-so-easy-to-get-caught-up-in-your-own-experiences-they-can-seem/) [Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) > [The label doesn't do anything but put your record in the store, that's all they do. And tell you, you don't have a single...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/the-label-doesn-t-do-anything-but-put-your-record-in-the-store-that-s/) [Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) > [I'd much rather be playing songs than talking to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/i-d-much-rather-be-playing-songs-than-talking-to-people/) [Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) > [I have a strong sense of self, but that's not a negative thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/i-have-a-strong-sense-of-self-but-that-s-not-a-negative-thing/) [Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) > [My backstory is so tedious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/my-backstory-is-so-tedious/) [Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) > [I am very self-critical, but that's a good thing because it keeps me growing as a human being and as a musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/i-am-very-self-critical-but-that-s-a-good-thing-because-it-keeps-me/) [Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) > [I refused then like I do now to let anybody tie me down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/i-refused-then-like-i-do-now-to-let-anybody-tie-me-down/) [Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) > [Well, I looked my demons in the eyes laid bare my chest, said 'Do your best, destroy me. You see, I’ve been to hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/well-i-looked-my-demons-in-the-eyes-laid-bare-my-chest-said-do-your/) [Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) [Explore all 46 Ray LaMontagne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) ## More Folk quotes > [I was in high school and I had an independent album out, and we kept sending that out, and I was doing shows. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hilton/i-was-in-high-school-and-i-had-an-independent-album-out-and-we-kept/) [Tyler Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hilton/) > [The Urban Literate Southern California Sub-Group of the Early Atomic Period has not yet produced a distinct body of folk music of its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hinton/the-urban-literate-southern-california-sub-group-of-the-early-atomic/) Sam Hinton > [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/) [Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I was very engaged by the folk music movement.Bob Dylan; Joan Baez; Peter, Paul and Mary. And then I sort of discovered world music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-was-very-engaged-by-the-folk-music-movement-bob-dylan-joan-baez/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [What do folk always say about Arsenal? They can pass you to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-adam/what-do-folk-always-say-about-arsenal-they-can-pass-you-to-death/) [Charlie Adam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-adam/) > [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [We Brits are law abiding folk. We pride ourselves on our natural tendency to form an orderly queue rather than a scrum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-boles/we-brits-are-law-abiding-folk-we-pride-ourselves-on-our-natural/) [Nick Boles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-boles/) > [“They change what they do not like,’ said Jessold, referring to the singers. ‘And they do not like what they cannot remember. That accounts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-stace/they-change-what-they-do-not-like-said-jessold-referring-to-the/) [Wesley Stace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-stace/) > [I'm really sick of anthems. Every song has to be a very big singalong thing - it feels very Eighties. There are a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-isaac/i-m-really-sick-of-anthems-every-song-has-to-be-a-very-big-singalong/) [Oscar Isaac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-isaac/) > [I think the perception of audiences that love folk and country is they're perceived to be more closed-minded than they really are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trixie-mattel/i-think-the-perception-of-audiences-that-love-folk-and-country-is/) [Trixie Mattel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trixie-mattel/) > [Today's folk song is rock and roll. Although it happened to emanate from America, that's not really important in the end because we wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/today-s-folk-song-is-rock-and-roll-although-it-happened-to-emanate/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [In my early life, I was a professional folk singer. I used to sing on the national television and radio in Canada. Nobody knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gordon/in-my-early-life-i-was-a-professional-folk-singer-i-used-to-sing-on/) [Mary Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gordon/) > [I love the U.K. folk scene. In the States, nobody knows what to do with me. There's still a very narrow definition of Americana.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-love-the-u-k-folk-scene-in-the-states-nobody-knows-what-to-do-with/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [I've always thought about myself as somewhat of a folk musician. I just write words. I don't think I'm even a musician. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/i-ve-always-thought-about-myself-as-somewhat-of-a-folk-musician-i/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) [Browse all 441 Folk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folk/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't really think of myself as a folk singer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ray LaMontagne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/i-don-t-really-think-of-myself-as-a-folk-singer/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Folk" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/i-don-t-really-think-of-myself-as-a-folk-singer/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/ray-lamontagne-14474_folk_i-don-t-really-think-of-myself-as-a-folk_2839659.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/ray-lamontagne-14474_folk_i-don-t-really-think-of-myself-as-a-folk_2839659.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/ray-lamontagne-14474_folk_i-don-t-really-think-of-myself-as-a-folk_2839659.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't really think of myself as a folk singer.” — Ray LaMontagne", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ray LaMontagne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't really think of myself...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/i-don-t-really-think-of-myself-as-a-folk-singer/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/i-don-t-really-think-of-myself-as-a-folk-singer/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```