Be the first to hear Jimmy Herring’s new jam band

Widespread Panic’s lead guitarist has formed his own band that plays Revelry Room on Sunday

Jimmy Herring, lead guitarist with Widespread Panic for the last decade, has formed a new band, The Invisible Whip. But that doesn’t mean he’s leaving the Panic, he’s planning to juggle gigs with both.

It’s been f ive years since Herring last toured with his own band, but he’s on the road again. Jimmy Herring and The Invisible Whip launched a summer tour July 19 that features new music Herring has been working on along with material from his two records, “Lifeboat” and “Subject To Change Without Notice.”

Chattanoogans will be among the first to hear Jimmy Herring and The Invisible Whip when they play Revelry Room on Sunday, July 23, at 9 p.m.

Herring is the quintessential musician’s musician with nearly 40 years in the music business. He was a founding member of Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit, which toured throughout the 1980s and ’90s.

In 1997, Herring joined Butch Trucks, Derek Trucks, John Popper, Kofi Burbridge, Oteil Burbridge and Mac Quinones to form Frogwings, before later joining Jazz Is Dead then Phil Lesh.

He moved on to The Other Ones, a project comprised of former Grateful Dead members, and during that time with The Other Ones he created Project Z with Jeff Sipe and Ricky Keller.

Following the death of Mike Houser, Widespread Panic asked Herring to join in 2006. Since that band has scaled back its touring schedule, Herring has formed The Invisible Whip with Sipe, Jeff Slocum, Kevin Scott and Jason Crosby — all musicians influenced by the late Hampton like himself.

The longtime friends came up with The Invisible Whip to stand for “the invisible force of music that drives the band.”

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Jimmy Herring