Umphrey’s McGee
- Umphrey’s McGee is Joel Cummins (keyboards and vocals), Brendan Bayliss (guitar and vocals), Ryan Stasik (bass), Andy Farag (percussion), Jake Cinninger (guitar, synthesizers and vocals) and Kris Myers (drums and vocals).
- Umphrey’s McGee is a jamband according to many, a prog band according to some, a jazz combo according to a few and a rock band according to themselves.
- The band was formed in December of 1997, in South Bend, Indiana, by original members Joel, Brendan, Ryan and Mike.  They recorded their first album, Greatest Hits Volume III in 1997.  Percussionist Andy Farag came on board for Songs For Older Women shortly thereafter.  Guitarist Jake Cinninger joined in 2000, contributing guitar pyrotechnics and powerful songwriting, including an ample back catalog from his prior band, Ali Babba’s Tahini. 
- Although their first studio CD was not released until 2002, Local Band Does O.K., Umphrey’s McGee was able to sell out shows in Colorado before their first trip there due to the distribution of live CD’s.
- The band is considered a leader of the South Bend prog/jam scene and has become what it is today through a prolific national touring schedule.  Playing 150 shows a year, the band has been featured at high-profile appearances such as the Bonnaroo Music Festival, High Sierra Music Festival and South By Southwest Music Festival. 
- Umphrey’s McGee’s growing success allowed them the resources to bring to bear the experimental spirit that they thrive on live as well as the technical prowess that separates them from many others who travel under the jamband banner.  Their 2004 studio release, Anchor Drops, demonstrates the band’s fluency in drawing from a wide variety of styles, from progressive-rock to metal to funk to folk to jazz fusion to classic song-based rock and roll, all woven together.
- Safety In Numbers, is the bands third album and was released in 2006.  In addition to the innovative instrumentation, Umphrey’s was joined in the studio by saxophone sensation Joshua Redman and veteran rocker, Huey Lewis.  Safety In Numbers is a tribute to a close friend of the band who was killed following their New Year’s Eve 2004 show.  “Some things just don’t make sense,” says Joel Cummins.  “There was too much grief.  So the best thing we can do is put that into music.”
- Umphrey’s McGee won a Jammy Award in 2006 for Tour of the Year with the Big Summer Classic Tour alongside other artists including String Cheese Incident, Keller Williams, Michael Franti & Spearhead and New Monsoon.
- In April of 2007, Umphrey’s released The Bottom Half, a double-disc studio album.  The first disc features ten tracks that were recorded for Safety In Numbers.  The second disc features outtakes, a cappella recordings and other bits from the band’s 2005 studio sessions.
- Mantis, which was released in January 2009, concentrates more on a progressive style of music. 
- The band has solidified its reputation through their tour schedule and performances.  The attention they command has prompted Michael Deeds of The Washington Post to call Umphrey’s McGee “rock’s undisputed lord of sonic shape-shifting.”
- Their growing critical and popular esteem has led to the development of a fiercely loyal following.  The burgeoning legion of fans, known as “Umphreaks” and “McGeeks” have spawned a volunteer grassroots publicity campaign as successful as that of any national band on tour. 

Discography
Greatest Hits Volume III (1997), Songs for Older Women (1998), One Fat Sucka (2000), Local Band Does Ok (2002), Anchor Drops (2004), Safety in Numbers (2006), The Bottom Half (2007), Live at Murat (2007), Jimmy Stewart (2007), Mantis (2009)

Awards and Recognition
- Performed at Bonnaroo for the summers of 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008 and is scheduled to perform in 2010   
- Performed at the 2005 Jammy’s and won a Jammy Award for Song of the Year with “In the Kitchen”
- Won a 2006 Jammy Award for Tour of the Year with the Big Summer Classic Tour
- Performed at Lollapalooza in August 2006
- Live at the Murat received a 4-star review from Rolling Stone magazine and a Jammy Award for best live album
- Performed at Thursday at the Square in 2007 and Buffalo Place Rocks the Harbor in 2009