Ring Text / 3D Circle Text with Gradient

[ravis24269721]

Hi all! 🙂 I was wondering if you guys can help me, I've been using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator for many years and I know how to design but I was wondering if anyone could advise the best way to create text using any font that can be warped to shape like a ring or a 3d surrounding a circle (please see below) I've tried to do this on many occasions but nothing seems to be working, could anyone please advise the best way, The gradient I know exactly what to do, it's just this 3D TEXT RING effect im having difficulty with, the warp with mesh  and available options is not working. Thanks for your help!! 

[Ton Frederiks]

You can try a to extrude a circle and map a symbol with invisible geometry.