Jason & the Scorchers

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's Riot and moved to Nashville in 1981. and the band were watched by Angus and Malcolm Young of AC/DC at the St. George Sailing Club during this tour. 1987 was also the year that EMI dropped the Scorchers from its label, and Jeff Johnson left the band and was replaced by Ken Fox. Thunder and Fire and disbandment After a three-year "fallow period," the Scorchers released a third LP, Thunder and Fire, which was more hard rock. in 2010. Bassist Al Collins and drummer Pontus Snibb were added to the band. They then toured in support of the Jason and the Scorchers album, Halcyon Times, which was released on March 2, 2010. One of the lead tracks on the record, "Golden Days" was written by Ringenberg with two friends from the British rock band, The Wildhearts. Although Ringenberg does not consider it autobiographical, it is his favorite, he states. The lyrics reflect a rocker who grows up and continues to perform even with a family. Founding bassist Jeff Johnson suffered a stroke in Mexico on September 19, 2023. Ringenberg and Hodges reunited as the Scorchers to headline a benefit show in Nashville on January 27, 2024, their first show together since 2019, and their first Nashville show in more than twelve years. ==Later activities==

Ringenberg now performs as Farmer Jason, playing children's music. He also performs solo, playing his own material and some of the Scorchers' classics. In June 2007 Jason & the Scorchers reunited for a Perry Baggs benefit show in Nashville at Exit/In. They also played one single gig in Spain in September of the same year. The band performed for several shows in Scandinavia and Britain in May 2008. This coincided with a couple of solo shows from Ringenberg, Farmer Jason, and Warner E. Hodges solo shows. There was also a US show at the Flood City Music Festival in Johnstown, Pennsylvania on Labor Day weekend, in 2008. Warner E. Hodges is a full-time member of Dan Baird & Homemade Sin. They toured through Europe in October 2007, and released a new Homemade Sin album in May 2008 on the Jerkin Crocus record label. In 2007, Warner E. Hodges, Kenny Ames and Fenner Castner played four UK shows under the name Ginger and The Scorchers, with Wildhearts frontman Ginger on vocals. In September 2010, Ringenberg reunited with Shakespeare's Riot bandmates Gary Gibula and Tom Miller for brief performances at a coffeehouse and an outdoor pavilion in Carbondale, Illinois. Former drummer and songwriter Perry Baggs became an archivist at The Tennessean where he was employed for 17 years. He also played bass guitar with the Scottsboro First Baptist Church Praise Band. He died at his home on July 12, 2012, after a 22-year battle with diabetes. He was working on a gospel album Hymns for Him at the time. ==Awards==

In 2008, Jason and the Scorchers received the Americana Music Association's Lifetime Achievement Award in the Performance Category. The band performed during the Annual Awards Show at Nashville's famed Ryman Auditorium. Bassist Jeff Johnson participated at this event, the first time that all four of the original band members played together on stage since January 19, 1997, when the Scorchers played Club Zydeco in Birmingham, Alabama. Guitarist Warner Hodges and Jason Ringenberg led a modified version of the Scorchers through a full set at the Mercy Lounge in Nashville after the Americana awards. ==Discography==

Jason & the Scorchers • Reckless Country Soul EP (1982) • Fervor EP (1983) • Lost & Found (1985) • Still Standing (1986) • Thunder and Fire (1989) • Essential Jason & the Scorchers – Are You Ready For The Country? (1992) • A Blazing Grace (1995) • Both Sides of the Line (1996) • Clear Impetuous Morning (1996) • Reckless Country Soul (1998) • Midnight Roads & Stages Seen (1998) • Rock on Germany (2001) • Wildfires and Misfires (2001) • Still Standing (2002) – Re-release • Lost And Found/Fervor (2008) • Halcyon Times (2010) Solo projects • Siren All is Forgiven (1989) – Jon Brant band • One Foot in the Honky Tonk (1992) – Jason Ringenberg solo • A Pocketful of Soul (2000) – Jason Ringenberg solo • All Over Creation (2002) – Jason Ringenberg solo • Disciples of Loud (2003) – Warner Hodges solo • A Day At The Farm With Farmer Jason (2003) – Farmer Jason • Empire Builders (2004) – Jason Ringenberg solo • ''Rockin' In The Forest With Farmer Jason'' (2006) – Farmer Jason • Best Tracks & Side Tracks 1979 – 2007 (2007) – Jason Ringenberg Solo • Centerline (2008) – Warner E. Hodges solo • Gunslinger (2014) – Warner E. Hodges solo • ''Preachin' the Gospel'' (2015) – Warner E. Hodges solo & The Disciples of Loud • Right Back Where I Started (2017) – Warner E. Hodges solo • Stand Tall (2019) – Jason Ringenberg • The Roots of Stand Tall (2020) – Jason Ringenberg • Rhinestoned (2021) – Jason Ringenberg • Soul Shaker (2023) – Warner E. Hodges ==References==