Jason & the Scorchers
Jason & the Scorchers, originally Jason & the Nashville Scorchers, are a alternative country band that formed in 1981 and is led by singer/songwriter Jason Ringenberg.
With a sound that combines alternative 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 loyal core group of fans around the world for more than 30 years. 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.
