Ray is a master bassist. He is a founding member of the country blues quartet, SpYder Stompers and Sugar Pie and performs with Ohio-based bands in all manner of styles, from country blues to jazz, both electric and acoustic.

He was inducted into the Cleveland Blues Hall of Fame in October 2022. He has backed up many national acts including Clark Terry (trumpet), Odean Pope (Sax Choir), and Johnny Johnson (pianist with Chuck Berry). He teaches private bass lessons at Musicologie, Cleveland Heights.

Jack DiAlesandro

Jack is a country blues guitar master in the styles of Blind Blake, Rev. Gary Davis and Blind Boy Fuller. He plays old time banjo, and the country blues style harmonica. He has backed up many national roots musicians including Howard Armstrong and Johhny Gimble.

Jack is a fine songwriter, contributing original material to the SpYder Stompers recordings. When not playing music, Jack works as a professor of Mathematics at Kent State University.

Kevin T. Richards

Kevin plays many different guitar styles, including blues, jazz and bluegrass. He is recognized by the Ohio Arts Council as a master musician in the Country blues guitar style. He also plays mandolin, fiddle and banjo. Kevin founded the non-profit organization Roots of American Music in 1999, and served for over two decades in various roles.

He is an owner of the music school Musicologie, Cleveland Heights. He has performed at major festivals including Merlefest, The Brooklyn Folk Festival and the National Folk Festival. He has been on staff teaching blues & swing guitar at Augusta Heritage Center.

https://kevintrichards.com

Growing up in North East Ohio, Kari started her journey like many musicians before her in a church pew. She is a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Champion, OH. and is a professional vocalist with over a decade of sharing stages across Northeast Ohio. She entertains with her uke, piano, washboard, and flute in the styles of jazz, folk, R&B, country, and pop. She is a teaching artist with Roots of American Music. https://kariannrutushin.com/home

In Dan’s early days he performed as a harmonica duo and also solo doing shows in Youngstown in the '80s. Dan’s rockabilly-boogie band, The Rumble performed across all of northeast Ohio. He formed eclectic quartet,  MoKo Bovo in 1989, pushing creative limits in song and performance, keeping focus on roots music.