For Immediate Release
HAPPY THE MAN PERFORMS
“FOURTH OF JULY: AN AMERICAN SUITE”
Composed and Orchestrated by Ron Riddle
A long-dormant cinematic work born during the golden era of large-scale television documentary production is being re-imagined for America’s 250th anniversary.
Progressive rock pioneers Happy the Man have been recording and developing Fourth of July: An American Suite, a large-scale musical work composed by Ron Riddle — originally created in the 2000s during Riddle’s years scoring television for Discovery Channel and TLC.
The music traces its origins to the landmark Houston fireworks spectacular featured in the television series Detonators, where Riddle served as composer for the series. At the time, the Houston event was widely recognized as one of the largest fireworks productions in America, combining massive pyrotechnic displays with live-event drama on an enormous scale.
Written to accompany both the spectacle and the emotional tension behind the production itself, the music moved fluidly between progressive rock, orchestral passages, cinematic Americana, and rhythmically driven soundtrack composition.
Several of the progressive sections were originally conceived with the musical language and adventurous spirit of Happy the Man in mind — making the current collaboration feel less like a reunion and more like the completion of a decades-long musical arc.
“This project feels strangely inevitable,” says Riddle. “The original piece already carried the DNA of Happy the Man inside it. What’s exciting now is hearing those ideas finally realized by the musicians who inspired that side of the writing in the first place.” The recording features a nucleus of original Happy the Man members who have continued collaborating musically in recent years, including bassist Rick Kennell, and guitarist Stanley Whitaker. Mixed and mastered by Rick Kennell in his innermost studios, the tracks were all recorded in their own studios.
There will be two versions of the single, the Full version which will include a tension building orchestral prelude and the Fireworks version. Rather than revisiting past material, Fourth of July: An American Suite aims to push forward — combining the compositional ambition of classic progressive rock with cinematic storytelling, modern production, and a distinctly American emotional landscape.
The release will take place on Monday June 29, 2026 and is being developed in conjunction with Invasion Merch as part of the celebration with America’s 250th anniversary. It will be made available on all your favorite download and streaming music outlets.
Press inquiries: Keith James, Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA),
"Fourth of July" is featured on PROG UK as one of the "TRACKS OF THE WEEK":
Please click on the listening and purchase links below:
MAJOR LABEL WHEELS CAN TURN REALLY SLOWLY,
BUT IN THE END, IT'S ALL GOOD!
Rick, Stanley, Kit, Michael, and Ron are excited to announce that after five long years of challenging negotiations and overwhelming complications, the definitive versions of their early Arista albums are finally ready to be released. Thanks to the unexpected support of an angel investor, the band now proudly owns these treasured masters—and can finally share them with the world and benefit from their hard work.
Once the masters were secured and transferred to digital, producer Ken Scott was consulted to recommend the perfect mastering engineer. Without hesitation, he chose his longtime friend Ray Staff, the chief mastering engineer at Air London Studios. Although Ray was on the brink of retirement, his impressive resume includes mastering or remastering albums for iconic artists such as Genesis, King Crimson, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, and many more. Notably, Ray had worked on classic albums produced by Ken Scott for artists like David Bowie, Elton John, and Supertramp. Thanks to Ray’s expertise, these albums now sound exactly as they were intended—just like during the original sessions at A&M and Chateau Recorders.
Enter Jeremy Holiday from Iconoclassic Records. Happy the Man first came to Jeremy’s attention through Mike Panico, who worked in the archives departments at BMG and Sony and was involved in New York City’s experimental music scene. United by their shared passion for progressive music—ranging from mainstream bands like Yes to leftfield artists like Peter Hammill—Mike and Jeremy helped bring these albums back to life. Jeremy replaced early CD-R versions with Esoteric’s official releases. The full story is captured in the liner notes, thoughtfully crafted by music expert Syd Schwartz, who met Jeremy when he joined Sony Legacy in 2014. Syd’s deep love of prog shines through the liner notes, filled with both insight and humor. Jeremy and Syd’s combined passion ensures the deluxe physical CDs will be treated with the care they deserve.
The digital versions are handled by our trusted partners at Invasion Merch. Their mission is clear: to highlight extraordinary talent—both the visionaries shaping today’s music landscape and the pioneers who paved the way. Invasion Merch believes the label system, at its best, celebrates legends who shift sound, move hearts, and leave lasting echoes in time. They support artists by connecting them deeply with fans and opening doors for new generations of listeners. Few bands embody this mission better than Happy the Man, a groundbreaking force in 1970s progressive rock. Their music is complex, beautiful, and fearless—and remains as vital today as ever. It’s an honor to bring their work back to the forefront, where it belongs—introducing their visionary artistry to fresh audiences hungry for substance, musicianship, and discovery.
Through this reissue of their iconic Arista masters, Invasion Merch proudly celebrates a band whose legacy continues to grow stronger—and invites the world to hear Happy the Man as they were always meant to be heard.
Ready to dive in? Iconoclassic Records has the CDs and they are shipping at this link:
Please use the links below via Invasion Merch for downloads and streaming:
