The SpYder Stompers

The SpYder Stompers are a musical institution in Northeast Ohio, celebrated for keeping traditional American roots music alive with high-energy acoustic country blues, rags, and early string band classics. Originally formed as a trio by Kevin T. Richards, Jack DiAlesandro, and Ray DeForest, the band famously owes its name to the Barking Spider Tavern---the legendary, rustic music venue once nestled near Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, where they established a long-running monthly Thursday residency. Over more than three and a half decades of performing, the group has grown into a dynamic quintet, welcoming Dan Bode on harmonica and vocals and Kari Ann Rutushin on vocals and washboard to enrich their signature vintage sound.