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Jason Ringenberg Biography

Jason Ringenberg Biography

 Jason Ringenberg is an American musician. He was the lead singer of a band called Jason and the Scorchers. He is also a songwriter and guitarist.The band had several minor hits, including "Golden Ball and Chain" and a blistering rock version of Bob Dylan's "Absolutely Sweet Marie."Ringenberg was especially influential in the mid-1980s when the indie country/rock fusion movement was at its height. His music, and that of similar bands, served as the roots for the "alt country" genre that would arise in the 1990s. He started playing in prot-alternative-country-bands in 1980. In 1981 he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he soon formed Jason and the Scorchers with likeminded musicians. He is currently working as a solo artist, both under his own name performing 'regular' Jason Ringenberg material, and using the pseudonym 'Farmer Jason' where he releases farm / animal themed children's songs. In 2002 Jason released an album of duets named 'All Over Creation' featuring Steve Earle, Lambchop, The Wildhearts and more. His most recent album, 'Empire Builders' was released in 2004.He featured on the album Greetings From Cairo, Illinois by Stace England in 2005.

 Jason Ringenberg's first release,  a 4 song EP on Jack Emerson's new Praxis label, "Reckless Country Soul" (1982), smoked with that energy, and spread the word around the south as the Scorchers became a regular favorite opening act for the equally young, club-playing R.E.M.  Their follow-up mini-LP", "Fervor" ('83) remains one of the great rock albums of all time. Practically every cut on it has been a Scorchers mainstay live.  Classics like "Help! There's A Fire" (resurrected from the Shakespeare's riot days), the spooky "Pray for Me Mama" exposed their country  roots and "I Can't Help Myself" and "Both Sides of the Line" showcased the maniacal, beyond insane thing the Scorchers had, what I call that Sex Pistols thing, where you just want to bang your head and get lost in the rock.  Jason & the Nashville Scorchers exploded further.

 
Then it happened nationwide when EMI signed them and re-released "Fervor" with an extra cut, another future staple, Dylan's "Absolutely Sweet Marie", a rare Dylan cover that's damn near better than the original.  The New York Times picked it as "EP of The Year". They hit the road with a vengeance, every show a firestorm of rock and roll mayhem with a tender ballad here and there.  The nation took notice.  London took notice.  When they played The Marquee Club it was so packed that Bill Wyman couldn't get in and a reviewer wrote of it as one of the top 5 shows London had ever seen.Next came "Lost and Found" in '85, which was like "Fervor" with a budget. Warner's crunchiest guitar sounds can be found here and "White Lies" was a bona fide MTV hit.  They toured the world over some more, creating Scorchers acolytes wherever they went.  "Still Standing" came in '86.  The title referred to the toll it takes being one of the greatest rock and roll bands in the world night after night and mile after mile. Another year of touring and the axe fell from EMI, because the Scorchers' sales, while not bad, were never stratospheric; and Jeff left the band as well.  It was a long three years before "Thunder & Fire" came out on A&M (1989) the debut (and swansong) of a second, short-lived Scorchers: a quintet with additional guitarist Andy York and bassist Ken Fox. Unfortunately, A&M was sold the same day the record was released and promotion didn't happen. Not long after that, Perry Baggs collapsed in France with his first onset of seriousdiabetes. Jason & Warner did a couple of duo gigs opening for Bob Dylan to fulfill contracts, and then they flew home.... And it was over. No press release, no farewell tour. No nothing.  One of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time was simply not around anymore.

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