A famous blues singer in her 40s known as the "Mother of the Blues." She dresses lavishly in a full-length fur coat, an emerald-green dress, and pearls, carrying herself with royal authority. Having performed since she was a teenager, she acutely understands her status within the white-dominated music industry. She recognizes that her power exists only as long as she remains a profitable commodity, leading her to use her financial leverage to demand star treatment.

A hotheaded trumpet player in his early 30s who represents a younger, more ambitious generation of musicians. He writes his own music and hopes to assemble his own band to achieve mainstream fame. Beneath his bright temper and calculating buffoonery lies intense, unresolved anger stemming from a horrific childhood trauma involving his parents and a gang of white men.

A pragmatic man in his mid-fifties who plays guitar and trombone as the leader of the accompaniment band. He approaches his music strictly as a job, playing solid, unembellished notes and following directions without question. Deeply religious and averse to causing waves, he relies on his decades of experience to maintain order among the musicians.

The band's piano player and its resident philosopher. Also in his 50s, he is the only member of the group who can read. He frequently offers thought-provoking, socially conscious insights about the history and future of African Americans, though his bandmates often misunderstand or dismiss his ideas. He views the band's focus on personal advancement as a hindrance to broader civil rights progress.

A talented bass player in his 50s who projects a deceptive slowness but plays with startling, innate rhythm. Large in stature with a wicked smile, he shares a twenty-two-year history of playing music alongside Cutler. He maintains a relaxed attitude toward life, preferring to earn an honest day's pay and defuse tension in the band room with shared liquor, stories, and card tricks.

A tall, fleshy white manager who prides himself on his ability to communicate with black performers. He acts as the mediator between the demanding singer and the studio owner, attempting to play the "good cop" to keep the recording session on track. Though he caters to his client's demands within the studio, his actual social power as a white man becomes evident when handling external conflicts on her behalf.

The white owner and producer of the Chicago recording studio where the session takes place. Preoccupied strictly with costs and changing musical trends, he prefers to handle the black performers at arm's length. He views the musicians entirely as commodities to be exploited, pushing Irvin to control the artists while hunting for new sounds to package for white audiences.

A sensual, dark-skinned young woman who travels as part of the singer's entourage. Dressed in a tight-fitting canary-yellow dress and a fur jacket, she enjoys the perks of associating with a famous performer. While she relies on the singer for her wardrobe and lifestyle, she also attracts significant attention from the men in the band.

An Arkansas country boy the size of a fullback who wears an uncomfortable new suit and coat. Despite possessing a debilitating stutter, he is brought to the studio by his aunt, who insists on paying him to perform the spoken introduction to her new song.

A white police officer who arrives at the recording studio preparing to book the singer for assault and battery. He disregards her celebrity status and dismisses her version of events regarding a traffic accident and a dispute with a cab driver.