Patterson Hood is an acclaimed singer-songwriter, guitarist, and co-founder of the Southern rock band Drive-By Truckers. Born in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Hood grew up immersed in the region's rich musical heritage, with his father, David Hood, being a renowned session bassist for the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. Drawing inspiration from storytelling traditions and a passion for rock, country, and soul, Hood's music often explores themes of Southern identity, social justice, and personal introspection. While best known as frontman, singer, songwriter, and guitar player for Drive-By Truckers, he is also a writer of essays, columns, and short stories as well as a solo performer and producer. Since forming Drive-By Truckers in 1996 with Mike Cooley, Hood has been a driving force behind the band’s narrative-driven sound, blending gritty, guitar-heavy arrangements with evocative lyrics. Albums like Southern Rock Opera (2001) and The Dirty South (2004) have solidified their reputation as one of the most influential Southern rock bands of their generation. Beyond his work with the Truckers, Hood has released solo albums such as Killers and Stars (2004) and Heat Lightning Rumbles in the Distance (2012), showcasing his versatility as a songwriter. His newest solo album, Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams, produced by Chris Funk (The Decemberists) will be released via ATO Records in February 2025. Whether fronting the Truckers or performing solo, Patterson Hood remains a vital force in modern music, celebrated for his ability to turn life's raw realities into compelling, soul-stirring art, and continues to be a powerful voice in contemporary Americana and Southern rock.

Craig Finn is a Minnesota-bred singer/songwriter based in New York City, best known as the singer of The Hold Steady. Finn spent the ’90’s leading Minneapolis indie band Lifter Puller, which released 3 albums and an EP. After relocating to New York, he joined with Lifter Puller member Tad Kubler to form The Hold Steady in 2003. The Hold Steady quickly achieved critical acclaim and a worldwide fanbase with their unique pairing of dense lyrical narratives with big rock guitars. The Hold Steady’s ninth album, The Price Of Progress, was released in March 2023, commemorating the band’s 20th Anniversary. Craig Finn released his 6th solo album Always Been on April 4. Produced by Adam Granduciel (The War On Drugs), the album features musical performances by Granduciel and members of The War on Drugs, Kathleen Edwards, Sam Fender, and more. Always Been tells the story of a man who becomes a clergyman despite a lack of faith. The songs detail his rise, fall, and eventual redemption, while also shining a light to sharply reveal the other characters that populate the world he moves through. A limited edition, 92-page companion book Lousy With Ghosts accompanies the album and features 11 works of fiction by Craig Finn. These stories take place in the same universe as the record, giving deeper looks at the characters within. Finn released his first solo album in 2012 with three additional solo LPs put forth from 2015 - 2019: Faith in the Future, We All Want The Same Things, and 2019’s I Need a New War - which coalesced into a sign-of-the-times musical trilogy. Finn’s fifth album, A Legacy of Rentals was released in 2022 and received universal critical acclaim. That’s How I Remember It is Craig Finn’s podcast series, launched in 2022. Co-produced and distributed by Talkhouse, the podcast series examines the connection between memory and creativity. Each episode features a discussion between Finn and one creator – including musicians, authors, filmmakers, and more – about the role memory plays in their art. These exclusive conversations reveal the different ways each creator synthesizes their remembered life experience to tell stories about themselves and the world we live in. Podcast guests have included George Saunders, Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Lucinda Williams, Johnny Marr, Jason Isbell, Duff McKagan, Adam Duritz, Ben Gibbard, and many more.

With Songs for Sleeping Dogs, Ben Hackett guides listeners through a private world of subtle, observational grandeur, created in the quiet hours of his Athens, Georgia home studio. The title is literal, as Hackett crafted these pieces slowly and softly to avoid waking the slumbering dog at his feet, never mind the rest of the household. Hackett allowed these songs to develop naturally, relinquishing perfectionism to preserve the spark of inspiration. The music is neither fully improvised nor overly rehearsed—more a balance between spontaneous creation and intentional simplicity. The songs are not emulations of past worlds but instead create something new while acknowledging their influences. Though never merely background music, they remain delicately composed, always careful not to disrupt the balance. In playing a wide range of instruments—horns, woodwinds, synthesizers, electronics, and traditional wood-and-wire instruments—Hackett allowed the music to unfold organically. He played the role of observer, letting each sound flow into the next.