Paul Thorn survived being in the ring with boxer Roberto “Hands of Steel” Duran. As impressive as that is, he also endured a poor Tupelo, Mississippi upbringing as the son of a Church of God Pentecostal minister without becoming bitter or mean. Thorn’s no Pollyanna. He understands that life can be rough. He professes to still be friends with his daddy, not to mention his uncle—a former pimp. Thorn could whoop your ass and sing about it, but mostly he’d rather make your life better. I can personally testify to that. A few years ago, I was in a dark place. I was feeling depressed and mean, drinking my shots and beers hard when Thorn hit the stage. By the third song, I had got my butt off the stool and was dancing along with the rest of the crowd with a smile on my face. This was the song that did it. If you are feeling low, I hope it lifts your spirits as it did mine.