A Conversation with Paul Thorn (continued)

PM: Hey, tell me about sky diving, will you? I'm interested in checking that out sometime, but it's really frickin' scary. I've bungee jumped and parasailed. But that's a hell of a lot higher. So help me out, man.

PT: You hit it right on the head, it is incredibly scary. I mean, I did it 160 times and--people think I'm making this up when I say this, but really the reason I quit after 160 jumps is that I could not get over my fear. I was just--

PM: After 160 jumps?

PT: No. People don't believe this, but I was scared shitless every single time I jumped. And I got fairly good at it, and I could do a few things. Comparing it to boxing, you know, to be really good at it, you have to be confident and relaxed and feel really sure of yourself, and those are the ones that are great sky divers. And I just couldn't do it. I mean, I know it sounds crazy after 160 times, but I just never got that feeling that this is what I need to be doing.

PM: Right.

PT: So finally I just quit, after 160 jumps. Now, I did enjoy it to a degree, but it's just so nerve wracking. I mean, you take off, and you're sitting in this airplane. And the ride up--

PM: The ride up has got to be the worst.

PT: The ride up is horrible. The ride up is the same feeling you have when you're sitting in the dressing room waiting to walk down the aisle to box. It's the same tense feeling. I can't describe it, but if you ever do it, you'll know what I'm talking about.

PM: Yeah. I'm no closer to doing it now, I'll tell you that. [laughs]

PT: Well, if you've bungee jumped, you've got a pretty good idea what it's like.

PM: Yeah, that was pretty scary, standing up on something that's over 100 feet high, I'm like, "What, I'm just supposed to jump off this mofo?"

[laughter]

PM: "Okay..."        

PT: Yeah, yeah. That's why all those things I did, boxing, sky diving, those are things I never really had true confidence in. And I'm not saying this boasting, it's just the truth--I am totally relaxed when I get on stage, and I totally feel like I'm in my element. It's not me being arrogant, it's just I've been standing in front of congregations since I was three. It's ingrained, since I've had my whole life, it doesn't seem abnormal to me to be in front of people singing. It's actually my comfort zone.

PM: It's home.

PT: It's home, exactly. Yeah, it doesn't bother me. I'm in my element. But boy, that's so important to be good at anything, which I've said throughout this whole interview, is you got to believe in yourself, and you got to be willing to relax where most people would feel stress and pressure.

PM: Right. I see you're playing that Delbert McClinton Caribbean Cruise at the end of January. That's got to be a gas.

PT: Oh, it's awesome. I did it last year, too. And yeah, I'm looking forward to it. Last year I just went and did a show, just me and my guitar. And then this year I'm bringing the band along. And it's just an amazing experience.

PM: Now, I see Fred Eaglesmith is on the cruise. Are you hip to that railroad trip that he does, the Rocket Through the Rockies in British Columbia?

PT: I have heard about that. There's talk of me doing that, but it hasn't been solidified.

PM: Yeah, I was thinking you got to be on that, man.

PT: Yeah. It hasn't been solidified, but there's talk about me doing that, too, yeah. Lots of good things, man. I wouldn't change a thing. It's a slow climb, but I'm getting where I want to get. The numbers are getting larger instead of smaller.

PM: And that's the point, yeah.

PT: That's all I ask for.

PM: So what do you see up ahead for yourself, and what would you like to see happen?

PT: I don't want to shoot for a star, I don't want to be unrealistic. Like I said before, I would like to eventually get to a place where I can have a career along the lines of somebody like John Prine. I feel, for me, that's a realistic goal. To say I want to be Garth Brooks, or whatever, I don't feel like that'd be a realistic goal, because I lot of that is just luck. I try to believe in things that can happen as a result of work. And as a result of work, I think I can accomplish at least that, which is a great place to be.

PM: Well, jeez, it's really nice to meet you, Paul. And I thank you for your time today. That was a beautiful conversation. You're a really cool person.

PT: Well, thanks, man. I appreciate you thinking of us. Frank, if I don't talk to you again before then, have a Merry Christmas, man.

PM: You too, Paul. And please say hello to Billy Maddox for me.

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