Justin Trevino
The Scene of the Crying (Lone Star)The Scene of the Crying is the fourth collection of songs from Justin Trevino, and if you’ve heard the local bassist’s sweet voice before, you’ll recognize his latest almost immediately. If not, this is the perfect place to start. The young Trevino has perfected a sound that’s rare these days, one that never gets old. It’s the sound of pure country in the tradition of his heroes: Ernest Tubb, George Jones, Johnny Bush, and Hank Snow. Trevino even has a couple of his musical mentors guesting. Rockabilly queen Wanda Jackson duets on her “What Have We Done,” and Cajun legend Jimmy C. Newman reprises his 1954 hit, “Daydreaming,” to great effect. Still, the light shines on Trevino and his marvelous singing throughout. He wraps his pipes around songs old and new from the songbooks of Johnny Paycheck, Mel Tillis, Wynn Stewart, and Connie Smith, as well as two songs written by members of his band. Pedal steel player Dicky Overbey contributes the appropriately teary-eyed title track, while guitarist Levi Mullen provides an affecting song of heartbreak, “I Saw a Man Dying.” It’s all done with great taste and energy, and demonstrates both Trevino’s innate understanding of where country music has been and his ability to keep that tradition alive.
This article appears in November 29 • 2002.