From his beginnings with Lou Reid & Carolina, to his time filling in for banjo great Ben Eldridge with the Seldom Scene, Southwest Virginia native Trevor Watson has been a consummate sideman in bluegrass music. His debut solo release, Out of the Shadows, brings both his solid instrumentalism and vocal ability to the forefront.
The opening track, Look Into My Eyes, was written by Jimmy Haley and first recorded by the group, Southbound, with which Haley was associated. Trevor’s longtime friend and bandmate, Shannon Slaughter, handles lead vocals on this song. Along with Watson on banjo and Slaughter on guitar, the core cast on this recording consists of Aubrey Haynie on fiddle, Gary Hultman on resophonic guitar, Ron Inscore on mandolin, Shawn Lane on tenor vocal, and Tracy Burcham on electric bass.
Blue Ridge Mountain Sun written by Burcham, captures Trevor’s silky baritone voice. This song, which tells an emotional tale of a love’s sunrise and sunset, features stellar vocal work from Watson, Lane, and Slaughter.
Reable’s Bender is an instrumental that demonstrates Watson’s compositional abilities on the banjo. Named after Reable Childs, an inmate in Huntsville, TX, this tune features great usage of the five string’s de-tuners. Walking On The Moon is also a great demonstration of Trevor’s instrumental creativity.
First Flower of Spring is one of several Wes Golding originals included on this project. Originally recorded by Golding’s group, Surefire, in the 1980s, this track features incredibly powerful fiddling from Aubrey Haynie. It’s a strong example of why he’s a hero to so many fiddlers.
Easy Chair is another Golding-penned song that comes from the Surefire repertoire. This is one of those tracks that has it all. The vocals from Watson, Lane, and Inscore are commanding, and the instrumentalists maintain a sense of intensity all throughout.
Out of the Shadows is a wonderful effort. While many people have been aware of Trevor Watson’s rock solid banjo picking, this album shines a light on his abilities as a vocalist and arranger. With its strong supporting cast and solid material, this is a recording not to be missed.
