Umphrey’s McGee Release New Single “Ride On Pony”First of four new singles; Recorded at Telefunken Recording Studio and mixed by Ryan Hewitt
December 12, 2019 – Chicago, IL – Hot on the heels of their first annual Woodlands Music and Arts Festival in Charleston, SC, and gearing up for their first annual Rockjavik event in Reykjavik, Iceland, world-renowned improv-rockers Umphrey’s McGee are ready to release new music. Earlier this year, on a show day in New Haven, CT, the band found themselves recording a studio version of live show fan-favorite, “Ride On Pony,” at Telefunken Recording Studio. First played live back on April 5th, 2009, and written by guitarist Jake Cinninger a dozen years before that, this recording marks the first official release of the country-tinged, Bob Seger inspired tune. Today, Rolling Stone Country featured “Ride On Pony,” calling it “Nostalgic country-rock,” and making mention of the “Earnest acoustic strumming uplifted by arena-ready distortion-soaked chords and anthemic organ swells.” Listen here
“Ride On Pony” opens with the lines, “Looking back on my life when it was cool to be young. Beer in the back of pickup trucks and sack of clovers just to press the luck. Laughs and jokes until morning comes up.” “This song goes back almost to pre-adolescence,” says Umphrey’s guitarist, Jake Cinninger. “It harkens back to the days of those mixed-up feelings and trying to cut loose, a teenage daydream.” Opening with a beautiful juxtaposition of strummed acoustic guitar and big, dirty power chords, “Ride On Pony” settles into a familiar 6/8 time feel, with tastefully picked guitar flourishes playing counterpoint to each heartfelt line of the lyric. The bridge brings a more familiar Umphrey’s McGee dual-guitar attack, satisfying even their oldest of fans before settling back into the last verse and chorus. “It’s all real…no joke, about the feel of being a teenager,” says Cinninger. “We tried to recapture some of those magical years gone past for everyone that listens.”
In usual Umphrey’s fashion, the band will finish out 2019 with a four-night New Year’s run, this year at Denver’s Fillmore Auditorium. To start things off in 2020, Umphrey’s will headline two nights at New York’s famed Beacon Theatre. Stops at fan favorites like Penn’s Peak, The Fillmore Detroit, The Caverns in Pelham, TN, and the ExploreAshville.com Arena fill out the band’s January and February schedule before they head west for the remainder of February and March. Umphrey’s sold-out Rockjavik shows at Eldborg Hall in Reykjavik, Iceland, mark the first of their kind for the band, and fans lucky enough to get tickets couldn’t be more excited.
Stay tuned to Umphreys.com for details on future single releases and new tour dates. 
Catch Umphrey’s McGee On Tour:Dec. 27 – Denver, CO – Fillmore AuditoriumDec. 28 – Denver, CO – Fillmore AuditoriumDec. 30 – Denver, CO – Fillmore AuditoriumDec. 31 – Denver, CO – Fillmore AuditoriumJan. 17 – New York, NY – The Beacon TheatreJan. 18 – New York, NY – The Beacon TheatreJan. 19 – Brooklyn, NY – The Brooklyn BowlJan. 23 – Jim Thorpe, PA – Penn’s PeakJan. 24 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AEJan. 25 – Columbus, OH – Express! LiveJan. 29 – Ft. Wayne, IN – The Clyde TheaterJan. 30 – Northfield, OH – MGM Northfield ParkJan. 31 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore DetroitFeb. 1 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore DetroitFeb. 12 – Memphis, TN – Graceland SoundstageFeb. 13 – Pelham, TN – The CavernsFeb. 14 – Asheville, NC – ExploreAsheville.com ArenaFeb. 15 – Asheville, NC – ExploreAsheville.com ArenaFeb. 26 – Bend, OR – Midtown BallroomFeb. 27 – Eugene, OR – McDonald TheatreFeb. 28 – Portland, OR – Crystal BallroomFeb. 29 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDoMar. 12 – San Diego, CA – The Observatory North ParkMar. 13 – Los Angeles, CA – The WilternMar. 14 – Oakland, CA – Fox TheatreMar. 15 – San Rafael, CA – Terrapin CrossroadsMar. 20 – Reykjavik, Iceland – RockjavikMar. 21 – Reykjavik, Iceland – RockjavikMar. 22 – Reykjavik, Iceland – RockjavikApr. 2 – Kansas City, KS – The TrumanApr. 3 – St. Louis, MO – The PageantApr. 4 – St. Louis, MO – The PageantApr. 5 – South Bend, IN – Morris Performing Arts CenterApr. 16 – Houston, TX – House of Blues Houston Apr. 17 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s BBQApr. 18 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues DallasApr. 19 – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s BallroomApr. 24 – New Orleans, LA – The Fillmore New OrleansApr. 25 – New Orleans, LA – The Fillmore New OrleansJul. 2-5 – Scranton, PA – The Peach Music Festival
About Umphrey’s McGee:The music of Umphrey’s McGee unfolds like an unpredictable conversation between longtime friends. Its six participants—Brendan Bayliss [guitar, vocals], Jake Cinninger [guitar, vocals], Joel Cummins [keyboards, piano, vocals], Andy Farag [percussion], Kris Myers [drums, vocals], and Ryan Stasik [bass]—know just how to communicate with each other on stage and in the studio. A call of progressive guitar wizardry might elicit a response of soft acoustic balladry, or a funk groove could be answered by explosive percussion. At any moment, heavy guitars can give way to heavier blues as the boys uncover the elusive nexus between jaw-dropping instrumental virtuosity and airtight songcraft.
Umphrey’s McGee is a touring powerhouse, performing 85+ shows per year, headlining annual shows across the US including Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado and the Beacon Theatre in New York. Umphrey’s is a constant US festival staple, with performances at major events including Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Rothbury, and Bonnaroo, as well as international festivals Fuji Rock Festival (Japan) and Byran Bay Blues Festival (Australia).

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