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Unlike Marlon Brando's character Terry Malloy in "On the Waterfront," boxer-turned-musician Paul Thorn never had any illusions about being a contender.

"I had about 50 fights," Thorn says, "and in almost all of them, I was scared every time I got in the ring."

That fear did not prevent Thorn, who performs Friday at the Thunderbird Cafe in Lawrenceville, from amassing more wins than losses as a boxer. It didn't prevent him from getting in the ring with the Roberto Duran in 1988 in Atlantic City. Photos on his Web site, www.paulthorn.com, show him going toe-to-toe with the man still considered one of the best boxers of the 20th century.

And he certainly has no fear when it comes to singing in front of audiences at bars, clubs, honky-tonks or anywhere else that will have him.

"It's not even a contest," he says. "Performing is so much easier. My father being a Pentecostal minister, I've been singing in front of people since I was 3 years old. My entire life, I've been thrown in front of congregations, so I actually have developed a comfortable feeling when I'm onstage because of all the years of doing it."

Thorn's new album, "A Long Way From Tupelo," jumps between gospel-flavored rock to soulful blues. It sounds as though he spent years absorbing and assimilating various styles, then decided to mix them all together and let the notes fall where they may.

"I guess that's why they can't put me in Wal-Mart, because they don't know what slot to put me in," Thorn says, laughing. "I have the luxury of owning my own record company, small as it may be. That affords me the opportunity to sing the songs that I want to sing."

That Thorn is singing professionally is due in equal parts to circumstance and good fortune. After stepping away from the boxing ring, he found work in a chair factory in Tupelo, Miss., singing occasionally in a restaurant where pizza was the main attraction.

One night, an acquaintance of Miles Copeland, founder of I.R.S. Records, happened to be in the area and heard Thorn sing.

"The next thing I knew, there was a bunch of people coming from Los Angeles and Nashville and New York, flying in from everywhere to hear me play at this pizza restaurant," Thorn says.

Thorn signed with Copeland's label, and soon found himself touring the country as the opening act for, of all people, Sting.

"It was sort of like 'Forest Gump, Part II,'" he says, "with all these weird things happening. ... Miles and I don't work together anymore, but if I saw him today, I'd hug his neck for all the contributions he made. We're good friends and all is well, but it's just, at some point, I decided I wanted to go off on my own."

Thorn drew attention from other people in high places. Notably, Toby Keith was impressed with his work; the country music star wanted to sign Thorn to a new label. But Thorn, sensing a loss of control, had other ideas.

"He was real polite," Thorn says of Keith. "But when he walked out of the room, me and my business partner didn't say no; we said 'hell no.' I don't want to sing songs somebody picked out for me. I don't want to wear a shirt some other body picked out for me. I don't want to be a well-paid factory worker, basically."

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