By JACQI LEYVA-HILL
Special to the NEWS
San Benito native Trey Martinez is preparing to release Tejas Cajun’s debut album, a trio blending Tex-Mex, conjunto, and Louisiana swamp and Cajun influences.
The self-titled album, “Tejas Cajun,” is being released on all streaming platforms on Oct. 15, followed by a vinyl release on Nov. 16. Martinez said vinyl copies will be available at slimbawb.com. The group can also be found on Facebook and Instagram under the name Tejas Cajun.
One of the album’s songs, “Freddy Fender Town,” is Martinez’s tribute to San Benito and references places and memories from his childhood.
Martinez said the song idea came after he attended a Bob Dylan concert with his family at San Antonio’s Majestic Theatre. While there, he spoke with the theater’s elevator operator about the historic elevator, which reminded him of the Stonewall Jackson Hotel in San Benito.
“I went home that night, wrote ‘Freddy Fender Town,’ and recorded it at my home in New Braunfels,” Martinez said.
The song stayed on the back burner for about five years before Martinez shared it with Tejas Cajun member Slim Bawb, who suggested adding a New Orleans second-line drum rhythm and slide guitar.
The lyrics reference the Stonewall Jackson Hotel, the silos near the resaca on Stenger Street, the former train station area where the Veterans Memorial now stands, and memories of Friday night football at the old Greyhound Stadium.
Martinez said the train station holds special significance because he saw Freddy Fender perform a free concert there as a child.
“When I look back at San Benito, I don’t just see what’s gone,” Martinez said. “I see the good, the bad, the people, the places, the music, the history, and all the experiences that made me who I am.”
Martinez’s musical development began while he attended San Benito High School. His father, Terry Martinez, started the Conjunto Estrella program as an after-school club in 2001, and it later became a class.
Martinez, who originally played drums, said he became fascinated with the accordion and taught himself “Coco Rayado” on a borrowed instrument. His parents later bought him a white Hohner Corona accordion, which he said he still uses.
He also participated in drumline, jazz band, and choir, experiences he credits with developing his sense of rhythm, performance style, breathing techniques, and ability to harmonize.
Tejas Cajun later grew out of Martinez’s friendship with Slim Bawb. Martinez said he met Bawb after seeing him open for Taj Mahal at Gruene Hall in 2012. After Martinez moved to New Braunfels, the two began playing together and continued exchanging ideas about swamp and roots music.
The trio now includes Bawb, Martinez, and Matt Morgan. Martinez plays the accordion while operating drum pedals with his feet. Bawb combines multiple string instruments with a foot-operated bass system, and Morgan plays the washboard and the accordion.
Martinez said the group’s diverse musical backgrounds define its sound.
“I bring the Tex-Mex/conjunto accordion and second-line drumming,” he said. “Bawb brings this incredible swamp, roots, and multi-instrumental sound, while Matt brings the Cajun and washboard side of things.”
Despite performing on stages across Texas and beyond, Martinez said his most meaningful musical memories are of his family and the people he has reached through music.
His message to young people in San Benito is straightforward. “Use your gift to make the world a better place,” Martinez said. “Don’t chase money or glory. Do it because you love it.”
