Jackson Free Press

Before the father-and-son duo opened for BB King, Joe Messina leaned over to his son Dustin and whispered "just like Fenian's." For these musical partners, the phrase means staying true to their own style and connecting with the crowd regardless of the size or place. Dustin and Joe explain that it's never been about money or fame.

"It's about the now, just doing it, that's the reality of music. You do it because you love it, and the response you get from the crowd is what brings success," Joe says.

Dustin, 20, is a Jackson native and a junior at University of Southern Mississippi. His self-titled CD came out last September and now, according to Border's sales, he is the second-best-selling local artist. His music is a mix of blues, jazz, country and rock.

At age 10 Dustin decided he wanted to play guitar. A few years later, his father, Joe, recognizing his talent, set out to find great musicians for Dustin to jam with. These musicians were playing at local bars, and, since Dustin was underage, Joe was his only ticket to the bar scene. Thus, the duo was born. At 13, Dustin started playing at George Street's open blues night. His father comments that "Dustin is a natural guitar player. He's got to play it—it's an extension of himself. I knew that from the very beginning. I felt it from him."

From the very beginning Dustin and Joe promised each other that they wouldn't sound like anyone else or play only songs they thought people wanted to hear. "We play songs we like, and we hope people will like them to," Joe says. "When we're on stage we're just havin' fun and enjoying the music; the payoff is when is when the crowd is having a good time, too."

If you have ever seen them play, then you know they have a way of communicating with their audience, of pulling the whole crowd in and making them really feel the music. They keep it basic: just two men and two acoustic guitars. But the sounds and lyrics they produce are rich and soulful, and Dustin's performance on the guitar is truly hypnotizing. Dustin plays acoustic solos with an intensity and brilliance that has earned him standing ovations from numerous crowds and kept them coming back for more.

Dustin explains that when he's on stage, it's like he's in a trance. "I just shut my eyes and go for it. Half of what I do I'm not even aware of; I just let the music go where it wants," he says.

It has often been said by those who have seen Dustin play that it's like the guitar is second nature to him, and his words seem to verify this: "It's just something I do—I don't think, warm up or sing before I go up. If you over-think it, you start to second-guess yourself and then it's not as real."

Keeping it real has earned Dustin the opportunity to play with one of his biggest influences, the famous guitar player, Jeff Healy. He's also opened for the "King of Blues," BB King, signed a record deal with Grace Production Group, recorded a CD, and showcased his musical talents at a number of bars, restaurants, auditoriums and music fests.

At only 20 years old, Dustin is an accomplished musical artist, but he still has goals and ambitions. "Right now, one of my goals is to have people come and see me and listen to my songs—the songs I wrote—and if my songs affect someone in a positive way, that makes me feel good. That's what it's about. It's a give and take between you and the audience," he says.

Dustin and Joe take pride in staying true to their music, whether it's relating to someone else's song they are covering or putting their whole heart into their original material. If you're a fan of blues or jazz or rock or even old country music, and you appreciate acoustic tunes go see Dustin play Sept. 1 at the Good Karma Café in McComb, and Sept. 8 at Soulshine Pizza in Flowood. If you can't make it to the shows pick up Dustin Messina's CD at BeBop or Border's.