Widespread Panic’s JoJo Hermann Joins Umphrey’s McGee In Nashville

By Nate Todd Oct 5, 2026 • 9:51 am PDT

Widespread Panic keyboardist JoJo Hermann joined Umphrey’s McGee at Brooklyn Bowl Nashville on Saturday. The collaboration saw JoJo on a WSP number and adding to a song from UM’s mashup covers catalog.

It’s been over 10 years since JoJo Hermann shared a stage with Umphrey’s McGee. The sit-in came on June 21, 2015 in Pittsburgh when UM opened for Widespread Panic. WSP guitarist Jimmy Herring and drummer Duane Trucks also joined UM for a cover of The Who‘s “Eminence Front.”

The JoJo sit-in on Saturday wrapped up UM’s first set in Nashville. The keyboardist emerged to help lead the Widespread Panic classic “Ain’t Life Grand,” a first time play for UM. Hermann joined Joel Cummins in keyboard world, manning the piano while Joel played organ. UM guitarist Brendan Bayliss and JoJo teamed up to sing the title track from WSP’s 1994 album.

Hermann stuck around to add to “Life During Exodus.” The song is an amalgamation of Bob Marley‘s “Exodus,” Talking Heads‘s “Life During Wartime,” Chicago‘s “25 Or 6 To 4” and “City Of Tiny Lites” by Frank Zappa.

Hermann is well-versed in “Life After Wartime” as it is a song that has existed in Panic’s catalog for decades. On Saturday, UM refamiliarized themselves with “Life During Exodus,” appearing on their 2016 album Zonkey, for the first time since March 21, 2025, a 141 show gap.

Umphrey’s second set saw the band kicking things off with “Small Strides,” which they stretched to over 16 minutes. Well jammed and tease-laden versions of “Remind Me,” “Staircase” and “Seasons” followed before the band sealed the second set with “Ocean Billy.” UM returned to encore with The Rolling Stones‘ Sticky Fingers standout “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking.”

Watch video of the JoJo sit-in below:

Set 1: Conduit, Wide Open, Domino Theory, Speak Up > Draconian, Ain’t Life Grand[1] > Life During Exodus[2]

Set 2: Small Strides, Remind Me[3], Staircase[4]-> Seasons, Ocean Billy

Encore: Can’t You Hear Me Knocking

Footnotes:

• [1] debut, Widespread Panic; with JoJo Herman on keys
• [2] with JoJo Herman on keys
• [3] with I Keep Forgettin’ (Michael McDonald) and Head over Heels (Tears for Fears) teases
• [4] with Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker) (Parliament) tease