“My daddy, the preacher, told me to tell people that if you don't come to the show, you are going to hell,” the eccentric musician said with a chuckle in a phone interview with Dayton.com on Friday.
>> RELATED: Complete lineup of 2018 concerts at the brand new Levitt Pavilion in downtown Dayton
His daddy was actually a preacher (and his uncle a pimp), but it is up to you to decide whether what Thorn said about hell and his show at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11 at the Levitt Pavilion at Dave Hall Plaza in Dayton is true.
The venue made its grand debut Thursday with a show by Latin singer Gina Chavez.
>> RELATED: Dayton shop saves the day for Texas singer who kicked off Levitt Pavilion’s first concert season last night
'Trout Fishing in America takes the stage 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 12, concluding the new venue's inaugural weekend.
Thorn's show with the famed gospel act Blind Boys of Alabama is part of the 2018 Levitt National Tour presented by the Levitt Foundation.
The Blind Boys appear on “Don't Let the Devil Ride,” Thorn’s latest album.
“It is really an honor and a privilege to perform with them every night,” Thorn said of the Blind Boys.
Like all Levitt shows (excluding fundraisers), admission is free.
>> RELATED: Everything you need to know about opening week at Levitt Pavilion
Why are shows at Levitt pavilions around the nation among his favorites? The fact that the concerts are free — along with the abundance of fresh towels, name-brand toilet paper and chips and salsa — Thorn told us.
“There are a lot of people in the world today that can’t afford to go to a concert,” he said. “It just makes people smile a little bit more.”
Levitt Pavilion is offering 34 free concerts in its opening season by a list of musicians known locally, nationally and internationally who play a range of music that includes jazz, rock, blues, folk, R&B, country, pop, world and children’s music.
Thorn said those who attend Saturday’s concert should prepare for a great time.
“It very high energy (show). It is hard to stay seated,” Thorn said. “Like my daddy the preacher said, ‘you’ve got to let the spirit lead you.’ If the spirit tells you to get up and dance, then get up and dance.”
Among the many things Thorn shared with us, he routinely belts out Boston’s classic song “More Than a Feeling” — one of his favorite songs to sing.
“I only sing it in my car when I am by myself,” Thorn said, adding that few living humans can properly hit the high notes.
But don’t expect it at the concert Saturday. “I never sing it in person,” he said.
When he is on stage, Thorn said he loves singing “I Have a Good Day Every Now and Then,” a fan favorite.
“It mostly describes the human condition,” he said. “Every day is not going t o be sunshine, but let’s live through the good days.”
About the Author
