Sloane Crosley is author of the novel, The Clasp (Farrar, Straus, Giroux) which centers around three estranged former college friends who search for a historic necklace stolen by the Nazis during WWII. Author David Sedaris said Crosley’s writing is, “perfectly, relentlessly funny.” Crosley is the author of two previous collections of humorous essays, “How Did You Get This Number?” and The New York Times bestseller, “I Was Told There’d Be Cake,” which was shortlisted for the Thurber Prize and optioned for a series by HBO. Crosley lives in New York City.

Jack Hitt is a contributing writer for Harper’s and GQ. He also writes for The New York Times Magazine, Outside, and Mother Jones, and contributes frequently to public radio’s This American Life. He is the author of Off the Road, A Modern-Day Walk Down the Pilgrim’s Route into Spain, an account of his 500-mile walk from France to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. His most recent book is Bunch of Amateurs: A Search for the American Character (Crown). He is a past nominee for the James Beard Foundation’s MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award. A native of Charleston, S.C. he now lives in New Haven, CT.

The Locust Honey String Band – Chloe Edmonstone (fiddle, vocals), Meredith Watson (guitar, vocals) and John Miller (bass) – blend sweet harmonies with raging old time fiddle tunes. On their latest CD, Never Let Me Cross Your Mind, there are covers of the Carter Family, George Jones, and Kitty Wells as well as originals. The album was recorded at Joel Savoy’s studio in Eunice, Louisiana. The band is based out of Nashville.

Guitarist Terry “Big T” Williams began his apprenticeship on guitar at age 11 in Clarksdale with blues legend, “Mr. Johnnie” Billington. Mr. Johnnie taught him the basics, and Big T learned the rest on the road backing up Big Jack Johnson, the Jelly Roll Kings, Wesley “Junebug” Jefferson, Big George Brock and many others. His CDs include Jump Back and Meet Me in the Cottonfield. Williams lives in Clarksdale.