The Thorns are a living example of the old adage, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” The threesome were brought together through a series of mutual connections – common managers, producers and sidemen; shared friends; a history of bumping into each other on the circuit – and a like-minded quest: Wouldn’t it be cool if several first-rate singer/songwriters managed to blend their sensibilities and their voices into a distinctive sound and style?

But The Thorns were out to up the ante.

“We were sitting in the room, winging together and it was very clear to me that our voices, just out of pure dumb luck, worked great together,” Droge said.

“With a lot of great harmony bands, people would individually bring songs in and they’d work up their harmonies – CSN, Fleetwood Mac, etc. I’m not really aware of a band that has been this focused on the harmonies from the conception of a song.”

Indeed, it’s The Thorns’ harmony that sets them apart and has their recently released eponymous album on the “must buy” list.

Catch The Thorns as they tour with The Jayhawks this summer. Dates run from the end of June through mid-July.