Paul Thorn with Kristopher James

Paul Thorn

When it comes to songwriting, less is more, and simplicity is strength. Just ask Paul Thorn, who’s spent three decades turning soulful grooves and small syllables into songs that pack a big wallop. Maybe he learned the power of minimalism from his years as a pro boxer; maybe it just comes naturally. But whether he’s targeting heads, hearts, hips or the occasional funny bone, he somehow manages to condense large nuggets of wisdom into tight little mantras, the kind embroiderers stitched onto pillows before internet memes existed.

American Blues Scene writer Don Wilcock calls Thorn “an everyman (who) addresses things we all think about, but few can articulate with the kind of candor, humor and folksy truth that immediately endear him to almost everyone lucky enough to hear his music.” Whether he’s expressing love in “I Knew,” warning an ex’s new conquest about the dangers ahead in “She Will,” extolling the value of holding off on sex in “Wait” or listing the ingredients for making a marriage work in “Courage My Love” (“a half-acre on your daddy’s land / and a little luck / a load of white gravel in our driveway / so we don’t get stuck in a rut /a 3-horsepower lawnmower and courage my love”), Thorn delivers his messages with consummate skill — and pinpoint precision. One minute, he’ll unwind an outrageous tale full of wild characters (often accompanied by his own cartoonish illustrations); the next, he’ll tug at heartstrings with confessions of love, loss or failed dreams, balancing wit and pathos with an ease only the best storytellers can pull off.

Kristopher James

(As Creative Loafing writes “(Kristopher) who is a kindred musical spirit to artists like Gavin DeGraw and Amos Lee, vocals are perfectly reigned in and his easy gift for melody is unrivaled...Kristopher is perhaps the most interesting musician on the scene”.

Kristopher continues to captivate audiences throughout the South East, with his songs and stories, touring with his band in theaters and club venues, as well as supplying direct support for acts such as First Aid Kit, Marc Broussard, Ryan David Harris, Morgan James and MaggieRose! Sharing bills with The Temptations, Anderson East, The Revivalists, Black Puma sandMavis Staples. Additionally, in 2023, Kristopher and his band were personally invited by TheBeach Boys founding member, Mike Love, to perform on The Beach Boys Cruise.

With his debut album “Kindness Never Quits”, (2019) featuring members of Scary Pockets,Kristopher caught the attention of Relix & Glide Magazine, Spotify Playlist curators and continued praise, such as “vocals are so powerful and as the song progresses, he showcases why he is one of the best singers out there. All that soul in one artist is just unbelievable” from Reign land Magazine-and continued to garner praise from music contributors like B-Sides &Badlands, Adobe & Teardrops, Bristol Funk and many others, for his following singles "NeverHad To Find Our Way" (ft. MaxBrown of The War & Treaty), "Feelings" and his 2023 release "I Can Only Love You in a Song".

The year to come promises a continued chapter of pen to paper and picks to strings, as Kristopher and his band embark on a sophomore album that puts Kristopher's breadth of musicability, on display.