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.