The band had several hits, including "Golden Ball and Chain" and a rock version of Bob Dylan's "Absolutely Sweet Marie."

[2] In 1981, Ringenberg moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he soon formed Jason & the Scorchers with Warner Hodges, Jeff Johnson, and Perry Baggs.

[4] In 2008, Jason & the Scorchers received the Americana Music Association's Lifetime Achievement Award in the Performance Category.

Recorded at his old college haunts in Southern Illinois and also in Nashville, the subjects of the songs range from John the Baptist to The Ramones to a disillusioned Confederate draftee.

Ringenberg lives near Bon Aqua, Tennessee, with his wife Suzy; daughters Kelsey, Addie, and Camille; and a barnyard full of animals.