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Jason and the Scorchers

Article: From “The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock N’ Roll”

Jason and the Scorchers

Formed 1981, Nashville, Tennessee

Jason Ringenberg (born Nov. 22, 1958, Kewanee, Ill.), vocals, guitar, harmonica;

Warner Hodges (born June 4, 1959, Wurtzburg, Germany), guitar, vocals;

Jeff Johnson (born Dec. 31, 1959, Nashville, Tenn.), bass;

Perry Baggs (born March 22, 1962, Nashville, Tenn.), drums, vocals.

1982 - Reckless Country Soul EP (Praxis)
1983 - Fervor EP (Praxis/EMI America)
1985 - Lost and Found (EMI America)
1986 - Still Standing (EMI America)
1988 - (-Johnson, + Andy York [born July 28, 1961, Wichita, Kan.], guitar;
+Ken Fox [born Feb. 16, 1961, Toronto, Ontario, Canada], bass)
1989 - Thunder and Fire (A&M)
1992 - Essential Jason and the Scorchers, Vol. 1: Are You Ready For the Country? (EMI)
1994 - (-York, Fox; +Johnson)
1995 - A Blazing Grace (Mammoth)
Jason Ringenberg solo:
1992 - One Foot In the Honky Tonk (Liberty)

Jason and the Scorchers was one of the hottest live acts among the mid-Eighties cow-punk bands. Unlike the majority of groups on the updated country-rock scene, however, Jason and company actually came from Nashville, not the West Coast.
Raised on his parents’ Sheffield, Illinois hog farm, Jason Ringenberg sang and played guitar in a number of bluegrass, folk, and country bands during his teens. In 1981 he moved to Nashville, where he met his fellow Scorchers. The following year the group recorded its first EP as Jason and the Nashville Scorchers, and toured with R.E.M. While on the road, Ringenberg and R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe collaborated on Fervor’s “Both Sides Of the Line”, and Stipe sang backup vocals on the EP’s “Hot Nights In Georgia”. The song that most identified the Scorchers’ oeuvre, perhaps, was Fervor’s Ramones-meets-Southern-rock update of Bob Dylan’s “Absolutely Sweet Marie”.

Jason and the Scorchers’ subsequent albums moved closer to country rock, with Ringenberg’s ballads becoming more heartfelt and Hodges’ guitar work more Stoneslike. Two later cover songs that further crystallized the band’s sound were “Lost Highway” (from Lost and Found) and “19th Nervous Breakdown” (Still Standing). The band’s guitar attack was beefed up for Thunder and Fire (1989) with the addition of Andy York. A grueling 1990 U.S. tour opening for Dylan hammered the nail in the band’s coffin, however. Hodges, York, and Fox joined Del Lord Eric Ambel’s Roscoe’s Gang, and Ringenberg attempted a career as a solo country artist, releasing One Foot In the Honky Tonk. After EMI issued Essential Jason and the Scorchers Vol. 1, consisting of the out-of-print Fervor and Lost and Found, along with some B-sides, the original members regrouped and began performing again. In 1994 the band returned to the studio to record an album, A Blazing Grace, released the next year.


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		Jason and the Scorchers Article: From “The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock N’ Roll” Copyright 1995 - 2005 - Fireside, Rolling Stone Press Jason and the Scorchers Formed 1981, Nashville, Tennessee Jason Ringenberg (born Nov. 22, 1958, Kewanee, Ill.), vocals, guitar, harmonica; Warner Hodges (born June 4, 1959, Wurtzburg, Germany), guitar, vocals; Jeff Johnson (born Dec. 31, 1959, Nashville, Tenn.), bass; Perry Baggs (born March 22, 1962, Nashville, Tenn.), drums, vocals. 1982 - Reckless Country Soul EP (Praxis) 1983 - Fervor EP (Praxis/EMI America) 1985 - Lost and Found (EMI America) 1986 - Still Standing (EMI America) 1988 - (-Johnson, + Andy York [born July 28, 1961, Wichita, Kan.], guitar; +Ken Fox [born Feb. 16, 1961, Toronto, Ontario, Canada], bass) 1989 - Thunder and Fire (A&M) 1992 - Essential Jason and the Scorchers, Vol. 1: Are You Ready For the Country? (EMI) 1994 - (-York, Fox; +Johnson) 1995 - A Blazing Grace (Mammoth) Jason Ringenberg solo: 1992 - One Foot In the Honky Tonk (Liberty) Jason and the Scorchers was one of the hottest live acts among the mid-Eighties cow-punk bands. Unlike the majority of groups on the updated country-rock scene, however, Jason and company actually came from Nashville, not the West Coast. Raised on his parents’ Sheffield, Illinois hog farm, Jason Ringenberg sang and played guitar in a number of bluegrass, folk, and country bands during his teens. In 1981 he moved to Nashville, where he met his fellow Scorchers. The following year the group recorded its first EP as Jason and the Nashville Scorchers, and toured with R.E.M. While on the road, Ringenberg and R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe collaborated on Fervor’s “Both Sides Of the Line”, and Stipe sang backup vocals on the EP’s “Hot Nights In Georgia”. The song that most identified the Scorchers’ oeuvre, perhaps, was Fervor’s Ramones-meets-Southern-rock update of Bob Dylan’s “Absolutely Sweet Marie”. Jason and the Scorchers’ subsequent albums moved closer to country rock, with Ringenberg’s ballads becoming more heartfelt and Hodges’ guitar work more Stoneslike. Two later cover songs that further crystallized the band’s sound were “Lost Highway” (from Lost and Found) and “19th Nervous Breakdown” (Still Standing). The band’s guitar attack was beefed up for Thunder and Fire (1989) with the addition of Andy York. A grueling 1990 U.S. tour opening for Dylan hammered the nail in the band’s coffin, however. Hodges, York, and Fox joined Del Lord Eric Ambel’s Roscoe’s Gang, and Ringenberg attempted a career as a solo country artist, releasing One Foot In the Honky Tonk. After EMI issued Essential Jason and the Scorchers Vol. 1, consisting of the out-of-print Fervor and Lost and Found, along with some B-sides, the original members regrouped and began performing again. In 1994 the band returned to the studio to record an album, A Blazing Grace, released the next year. © 1995 -2005 — Fireside, Rolling Stone Press — All Rights Reserved
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