Prog-jam powerhouse Umphrey’s McGee switched things up this year by bringing its annual UMBowl run to Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. It turns out that this was more than just a change of scenery for the hard-hitting sextet, as Umphrey’s McGee turned its first run at The Mother Church of Country Music in six years into a tribute to country legends Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, and more.

UMBowl puts the band’s fate into the hands of its dedicated fans, allowing them to vote on songs, themes, and prompts for once-in-a-lifetime sonic experiments. The 11th UMBowl kicked off on Friday with a “Single Song Set” where the band took “Mantis” on a nearly hour-long expedition, with the jam’s moods and even a tease of “All Things Ninja” voted on by fans.

The second of three sets was “Band’s Picks”, where Brendan Bayliss, Jake Cinninger, Joel Cummins, Ryan Stasik, and Kris Myers assembled a setlist of reliable UM heavy hitters, including “Bridgeless”, “Slacker”, “Miss Tinkle’s Overture”, and “In The Kitchen” (featuring Anders Beck of Greensky Bluegrass). Toward the end of the set, Umphrey’s brought out fast-rising Nashville guitar teen Grace Bowers to sit in on Buddy Miles‘ “Them Changes” and the band’s first cover of Stevie Ray Vaughan‘s “Lenny” in over a year, per All Things Umphrey’s.

For the main event, Umphrey’s McGee presented fans with “Outlaw Umphrey’s”. The all-cover set led off with “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right”—Waylon Jennings‘ decidedly outlaw-ified take on the Bob Dylan classic. Though Hank Williams was banned from the Grand Ole Opry after missing a show in 1952, Umphrey’s McGee brought the country music forefather back to the Ryman with Friday’s debut of “Kaw-Liga”.

Related: Umphrey’s McGee Plans Guest-Filled Sets For Daze Between New Orleans 2025

Aided by special guests Sam Bush (fiddle), Anders Beck (dobro), and Kurt Ozan (pedal steel), Umphrey’s McGee debuted classic covers of “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys”, Lynyrd Skynyrd‘s “I Know A Little”, the Grateful Dead-favored John Phillips-penned “Me and My Uncle”, and Willie’s “Whiskey River”. To help bring the set home, UM called up frequent collaborator Jennifer Hartswick to emulate Bonnie Raitt on a cover of John Prine‘s “Angel From Montgomery” before letting her go full Dolly Parton on “9 to 5”. Closing the set in dramatic fashion, UM contemporarized with a nod to country music rebel Sturgill Simpson on the band’s first “Call to Arms” in six years—with Hartswick’s trumpet serving as the lynchpin that brought the whole thing together.

Umphrey’s McGee, Jennifer Hartswick, Anders Beck, Sam Bush — “9 To 5” (Dolly Parton) — 4/4/25

After ending set three with the racuous “Call to Arms”, Umphrey’s juxtaposed the mood with the 18th “Bullhead City” in 23 years—featuring Jennifer Hartswick on vocals, as has been the norm for nearly two decades. Finally, with all hands on deck, Umphrey’s McGee closed night one of UMBowl in The Last Waltz fashion with “Up on Cripple Creek”.

Stream the full Umphrey’s McGee country performance at Ryman Auditorium on nugs. Not a nugs subscriber yet? Sign up here. [Editor’s Note: Live For Live Music is a nugs affiliate. Ordering your nugs subscription or purchasing a download via the links on this page helps support our coverage of the world of live music. Thank you for reading!] Up next for Umphrey’s is a trip to Marrakesh for the band’s inaugural Morockshow engagement April 18th–20th. Find tickets and tour dates on the band’s website.

Umphrey’s McGee — Ryman Auditorium — Nashville, TN — 4/4/25 — Full Audio

Setlist: Umphrey’s McGee | Ryman Auditorium | Nashville, TN | 4/4/25

Set One: Nipple Trix, Preamble > Mantis Ghetts, Mantis[1]
Set Two: Bridgeless[2] > Slacker > Maybe Someday, Miss Tinkle’s Overture[2] > In The Kitchen[3], Them Changes[4] > Lenny[4]
Set Three: Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right[5], Kaw-Liga[6], Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys[7], I Know a Little[8], Me and My Uncle[9], Whiskey River[10], Angel From Montgomery[11], 9 to 5[12] > Call to Arms[13]
Encore: Bullhead City[14], Up on Cripple Creek[15]

[1] with All Things Ninja jam
[2] unfinished
[3] with Anders Beck on dobro
[4] with Grace Bowers on guitar
[5] debut, Bob Dylan; with Sam Bush on fiddle and Anders Beck on dobro
[6] debut, Hank Williams; with Sam Bush on fiddle and Anders Beck on dobro
[7] debut, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson; with Sam Bush on fiddle and Kurt Ozan on steel guitar
[8] debut, Lynyrd Skynyrd
[9] debut, John Phillips; with Sam Bush on fiddle and Kurt Ozan on steel guitar
[10] debut, Willie Nelson; with Sam Bush on fiddle and Anders Beck on dobro
[11] debut, John Prine; with Sam Bush on fiddle, Anders Beck on dobro, Kurt Ozan on steel guitar, and Jennifer Hartswick on vocals
[12] debut, Dolly Parton; with Anders Beck on dobro and Jennifer Hartswick on vocals; Sam Bush joined in post song jam on fiddle
[13] with Sam Bush on fiddle, Anders Beck on dobro, Kurt Ozan on steel guitar, and Jennifer Hartswick on trumpet
[14] with Anders Beck on dobro, Kurt Ozan on steel guitar, and Jennifer Hartswick on vocals
[15] with Sam Bush on mandolin and vocals, Anders Beck on dobro, and Jennifer Hartswick on vocals

Show Notes:first set was “Single Song Set (S3)” which included the audience voting on “What’s The Mood” (“COOL” or “HOT”), “Color Me Badd” (“CMY – Cyan, Magenta, Yellow,” “RBG – Red Green, Blue,” or “Brown – Brown”), “More or Less?” (“Maximalist (Rainbow)” or “Minimalist (White & Shadows”), and “Tease Me” (“Back In Black” or “All Things Ninja”)

second set was “Band’s Picks”

third set was “Outlaw Umphrey’s” (the audience voted for this over “Country’s McGee”)

Umphrey’s McGee and Jennifer Hartwsick will join forces again later this month at Daze Between New Orleans. Umphrey’s McGee will headline day one of Live For Live Music‘s annual festival during the “days between” Jazz Fest weekends in New Orleans. On Tuesday, April 29th, Umphrey’s McGee will play two sets including an original set with Hartswick and Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band) plus a Led Zeppelin tribute set with drummer Jason Bonham.

Pick up your Daze Between New Orleans tickets here and check out the full lineup below. Daze Between is part of Live For Live Music’s Fest by Nite series of shows in New Orleans during Jazz Fest. Find the full calendar of events here.