“Paul Thorn is a natural-born Southern storyteller with humble stage banter and musical delivery that’s gritty and gruff.”
Earlier this year Paul Thorn released his first-ever gospel album, Don’t Let the Devil Ride, available everywhere via Thirty Tigers. Mississippi Public Broadcasting was there every step of the way as the album came together and culminated with a live concert. The documentary “Paul Thorn: The Making Of…” and the concert “Paul Thorn’s Mission Temple Fireworks Revival” will air on PBS stations across the country this summer.
A collection of soulful songs originally recorded by black southern gospel groups, Don't Let The Devil Ride was co-produced by Billy Maddox and Colin Linden and recorded in three legendary locations: Sam Phillips Recording in Memphis, FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, and Preservation Hall in New Orleans. Don’t Let The Devil Ride features contributions from the Blind Boys of Alabama, The McCrary Sisters, the Preservation Hall Jazz Horns and Bonnie Bishop.
The album reached No. 2 on the Billboard charts and continues to hover in the top twenty, three months later.
American Public Television is distributing the concert program to approximately 200 public broadcasting stations coast to coast starting this summer.
MPB Television Director John Gibson is the executive producer of both Paul Thorn programs, which were sponsored in part by Lagunitas Brewing Company.
“This is like a dream come true as far as everything that came together for this gospel record. It’s really a thrill because my mom and dad are getting old, and they’ve heard a copy of it, and they like it. And that makes them happy when they listen to it. It’s just something that had to be done, and it got done. Praise the Lord, it’s here.”
