Jason & The Scorchers

Jason & the Scorchers, originally Jason & the Nashville Scorchers, are a cowpunk band that formed in 1981 and are led by singer-songwriter Jason Ringenberg. With a sound that combines punk rock and country music, Jason and the Scorchers are noted for their energetic live performances and have earned strong reviews from critics, including Mark Deming, who declared they "blazed a trail for the cowpunk and alt-country movements that followed in their wake." Jason and the Scorchers have maintained a worldwide fan-base around the world since their debut. Jason and the Scorchers released their latest album, Halcyon Times, in February 2010.

History

Early days A native of Sheffield, Illinois, Ringenberg attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and was a member of a short-lived acoustic trio in 1978. In late 1979, Ringenberg formed his first band, Shakespeare's Riot, the precursor of the Scorchers. Named after an oblique reference to the Astor Place Riot, Shakespeare's Riot played Ringenberg's original compositions, rockabilly songs, and other similar-styled tunes by Bob Dylan and Tom Petty; adapted to his high-energy country rock style. Ringenberg disbanded Shakespeare...