Paul Thorn
A former professional boxer turned storyteller who channels his hardscrabble Mississippi life into soulful, gritty songs about sin and salvation.
Born 1964 (age 62)·American singer-songwriter and boxer·Birthday: July 13·Baby Boomers
Biography
Paul Thorn's songs are forged in the real world—specifically, the Pentecostal churches and boxing rings of Tupelo, Mississippi. The son of a preacher, he was also a nationally ranked middleweight who once fought a world champion. When a hand injury ended his boxing career, he picked up a guitar, finding a new arena for his raw, observational power. Thorn's music, a potent blend of blues, rock, and country, bypasses cliché to deliver stories filled with flawed characters, dark humor, and hard-won grace. He sings about factory workers, cheaters, and seekers with the empathy of someone who's been in the trenches. Touring relentlessly with his band, he's built a devoted following not on fame, but on authenticity. Paul Thorn doesn't perform persona; he offers testimony, proving that the most compelling tales come from a life fully lived.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Paul was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Paul Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Paul's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Had a professional boxing career, including a televised fight against former world champion Roberto Durán.
- Has released over a dozen studio albums of original music, building a strong independent following.
- His songs have been featured in major films and television shows, including 'The Firm' and 'Paradise, Texas.'
- Maintains a consistent and extensive touring schedule across the United States and Europe.
Did You Know?
He worked in a chair factory and as a skydiving instructor before his music career took off.
His father was a Pentecostal minister, and he grew up singing in church.
He was discovered by music publisher Miles Copeland after playing a show in a pizza parlor.
He is an accomplished painter, with his artwork often featured on his album covers.
“I'm not a poet, I'm a reporter. I just write about what I see.”
