To say that singer-songwriter Paul Thorn had a peculiar childhood is a gross understatement.

Thorn's latest album, "Pimps and Preachers," explores his unique formative experiences.

"The title song is about my upbringing and the influences I had in my life, which in my world was actually pimps and preachers," Thorn said via phone from his home outside Nashville, Tenn. "My father was a Pentecostal preacher, and my uncle was a pimp, and those were my mentors when I was growing up. So I have a lot of that church thing in me. My uncle showed me a little bit about the dark side of life, and my father showed me a bit about the light side of life."

Released in 2010, "Pimps and Preachers" met with some critical success, rising to No. 8 on Alternate Root magazine's top 20 albums list. Thorn will perform songs from the album next Sunday, July 24, at Long's Park Amphitheater as part of the free Summer Music Series.

Once he explained to his family that the title of the album was a tribute, not an attack, they were cool with it. His dad even carried a couple copies with him to his regular morning coffee spot and handed them out to friends. Thorn welcomes the new listeners.

"I have been an independent artist for a long time, and every year our audience gets bigger and bigger," Thorn said.

Thorn is a people's musician. He makes sure to shake the hands of fans after shows. His Facebook page is self-maintained; he doesn't pay someone to crank out friend requests.

The music mold has changed, Thorn said. Today, individual artists build their own success. Slow, steady fan growth is something he appreciates.

"I don't want to go on 'American Idol' and be a joke. I want to have some integrity to what I do," Thorn said.

Music wasn't Thorn's first passion. At age 10, Thorn laced up a pair of boxing gloves and sparred with his uncle in the backyard. After a successful run in amateur boxing, Thorn entered the professional junior middleweight division in 1985 with a second-round knockout of George Reedy. He won the Mid-South Middleweight Championship in 1987 and ended his career with 50 fights under his belt.

"The fight I'm most known for is a fight I actually lost," Thorn said.

In 1988, on national television, Thorn went up against Panamanian heavy-hitter Roberto Duran. The fight was stopped after six rounds due to a massive cut on Thorn's lip. In the post-fight interview, Duran said that if the fight had not been stopped, Thorn's lip would have ended up on his chest.

"I really learned how to face my fears in boxing," Thorn said. "That's how you find your courage, by being thrown into the fray a time or two in life."

Those lessons translate directly to his music. He learned to prepare for an audience as carefully as he prepared for an opponent.

"Whether it's singing or boxing, you gotta be ready," Thorn said.

Thorn is ready to involve the crowd and get people laughing and dancing at Long's Park. He appreciates fans who come out to his shows and spend their hard-earned money, and he's looking forward to performing a free show.

"In today's world, there are a lot of people that don't even have a job, and my goal in life [as a musician] — which seems like it is coming into reality — is to create good music and be a good provider for my family. I don't ever want my kids to go without something they need, and this music thing seems to be able to provide that."

The Paul Thorn Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 24, at the Long's Park, on Harrisburg Pike, east of the Route 30 interchange. The free concert is sponsored by the Sunday News. For more information, visit longspark.org.