DULUTH — It has been a wild few months for Duluth singer/songwriter Ross Thorn.
On April 28, 2023, he released his debut album Hugo, a collection of 10 Americana, country and bluegrass tunes. Then, on June 7, it was announced he was the 2023 winner of the Palomino Grant, hosted by fellow Duluth group Trampled by Turtles.
The grant gives the winner $5,000 for music expenses, studio time at Pachyderm Studios, and an opening slot for the Trampled by Turtles annual show at Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth. This year, Thorn will open for the Duluth bluegrass heroes and Jenny Lewis on Saturday, July 8.
The day before that show, Thorn and bandmate Kyla Orla joined Centerstage Minnesota for a conversation and live session. Alongside performances of “Gravedigger’s Son,” “Gimme A Coin,” and “Lion’s Den,” Thorn spoke about the common theme of the album.
“All the songs are sort of a reflection of who I want to be, who I am, and who I was,” he said.
The title of the album also references this theme. Thorn’s great-grandfather from Sweden was named Hugo, and it is also his father and brother’s middle name.
“I always wished I was Hugo, but I'm glad I'm not.”
Listen to the complete conversation plus the three live performances above.
Centerstage Minnesota is made possible by the citizens of Minnesota, through the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.
