Scarlet Runner - South Chain Gang (1996)

Scarlet Runner is a Blues/Rock band comprised of Jason Christensen (18 in 1997) guitar and vocals, Jack Christensen (16 & little brother) bass/vocals, & Luke Rathe (18 & lifetime friend) drums/vocals. The band has been playing together since 1993.

Jason is an absolute show stopper, and along with his stunning and soulful guitar work and vocals, employs many jaw dropping antics right out of the Hendrix/Vaughan bag of tricks. Jason is the Midwest Regional winner of the Jimi Hendrix Electric Guitar Competition that was held at Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago, and is awaiting being flown to Madison Square Garden to compete for the National Voodoo Chile Award that will be held during the Hendrix festival sponsored by the Hendrix family.

Jack plays bass with a driving force that keeps the band pulsating forward while Luke's tirades on the drums, as well as his grasp of tempo at any speed, is what makes this band Scarlet Runner. The band tours throughout seven states surrounding Iowa and is expanding their playing base all the time. They have played on shows with such blues greats as Koko Tayler, Ian Moore, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds, just to name some. The band has also played many shows with Texas blues rocker Chris Duarte who has, along with his band, befriended the boys and passes along valuable pointers as well as encouragement.

Scarlet Runner has played many notable clubs like The Grand Emporium in KC, The Zoo in Lincoln, NE, and The Blues Saloon in St. Paul. They have also played for crowds as large as 50,000 for the third straight year (headlining the last two) at the My Waterloo Days Laser Show and played with such bands as Rare Earth, Edgar Winter and Starship at the Wadina Rock Festival 25th anniversary concert. They have also played the huge Sturgis bike rally in S.D. The band was named semi-finalist in Musician Magazine's Best Unsigned Band Contest and also took first place in the tri-state area in the Dubuque, Iowa's battle of the bands. They were also voted Best Band In The Cedar Valley the last two years in a row in a readers poll of the Waterloo Courier.

In Oct. of 96 Scarlet Runner independently released a full length compact disc entitled "South Chain Gang" with 10 original songs as well as a cover of Hendrix's " Manic Depression". The Hendrix song was recorded in one take for the purpose of using it to send in for the Hendrix Competition but was dubbed too good to leave off the disc by the producer. The disc is receiving air play all over the U.S. and is being seriously looked at by different labels.

Scarlet Runner has many influences including, but not limited to, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Hendrix, Buddy Guy, Albert King, Ian Moore and Chris Duarte. They have compiled these influences and thrown in their own unique style to create a new powerful and aggressive musical approach.