Paul Thorn & Hayes Carll in Charlotte

Paul Thorn is an American singer-songwriter raised in Tupelo, Mississippi, who plays roots rock shaped by blues, country and Southern storytelling. A former professional boxer, he drew on that background for his debut album, Hammer & Nail. He is also known for the albums Mission Temple Fireworks Stand and Pimps and Preachers, and for the song “It’s a Great Day to Whup Somebody’s Ass.” Paul Thorn opened concerts for Sting after his debut and later established the Paul Thorn Band as his touring group for dates across the United States. Subsequent road work included touring with Bonnie Raitt, while his own shows have taken him through clubs, theatres and roots-music festivals. He has also made repeated appearances on Cayamo, the songwriter-focused music cruise.

Hayes Carll is an American singer-songwriter born in Houston in 1976 who writes country, folk and Americana songs marked by dry humor and detailed storytelling. He is known for “She Left Me for Jesus,” “KMAG YOYO” and “Another Like You,” as well as the albums Trouble in Mind, KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories) and Lovers and Leavers. Hayes Carll played bars around Crystal Beach on Texas’s Bolivar Peninsula early in his career and performed at the Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe in Galveston. He released the concert album Live at the Bi-District in 2004, then later appeared on Austin City Limits in an episode that also featured Robert Earl Keen.