Floyd is a thirty-five-year-old blues and jazz musician determined to capitalize on a surprise hit record. Recently released from the workhouse, he is desperate to retrieve his electric guitar from the pawn shop and secure passage to Chicago. His relentless ambition makes him highly charismatic but occasionally selfish. This ambition sometimes blinds him to the risks he asks others to take.

Louise is a pragmatic woman in her mid-forties who owns the apartment building where the characters congregate. Following her husband's abrupt departure twelve years prior, she maintains strict skepticism about romance and male reliability. She serves as a voice of reason in the community, dispensing logical and highly protective advice to the younger women.

Vera is a twenty-seven-year-old woman living in the first-floor apartment of Louise's building. She carries deep emotional scars from when Floyd abandoned her for another woman a year and a half ago. Though she is fiercely protective of her independence and wary of being hurt again, she maintains an idealistic hope for genuine romance.

Hedley is a fifty-nine-year-old man who earns a living selling chicken sandwiches. He experiences severe delusions mixed with sharp moments of clarity. Suffering from tuberculosis, he harbors a deep-seated distrust of white doctors and prefers the remedies of local healers. He quotes biblical prophecies and desperately yearns to father a son who will carry on a powerful legacy.

Canewell is a skilled harmonica player who previously performed with Floyd on his hit single. Unlike his bandmates, he prefers safety and fairness over the risky pursuit of fame. He carries a knife instead of a gun to avoid extreme police scrutiny and is quick to advocate for proper compensation in his musical endeavors.

Red is a drummer who played on Floyd's record and enjoys cultivating a suave, macho image. He evaluates his life choices based on effort and reward, initially showing reluctance to travel to Chicago until convinced by the prospect of beautiful women. He carries a gun for protection and brags extensively about his romantic conquests.

Ruby is Louise's twenty-five-year-old niece who flees Alabama after a violent love triangle leaves one man dead. Despite her youth, she possesses a cynical, pragmatic view of men and romance. Newly pregnant and seeking stability, she proves resourceful in securing a future for herself and her unborn child.

T.L. Hall is Floyd's manager, responsible for booking his gigs at the Hurricane Club and arranging recording dates in Chicago. He holds the keys to Floyd's professional advancement, though the bandmates harbor suspicions about his business practices and compensation methods.

Pearl Brown is a woman who previously accompanied Floyd to Chicago instead of Vera. She represents Floyd's unchecked ambition and his willingness to abandon his commitments when he finds someone who seemingly believes in his star potential more than his current partner.

Henry is Louise's ex-husband. Twelve years prior, he asked for his gun back and abruptly walked out on their marriage, leaving nothing but a razor and a pair of shoes behind.

Mister is Red Carter's newborn son. He is given his name specifically so that white people will be forced to address him with a title of respect, representing a small victory against racial oppression.

Buddy Bolden is a legendary, historical jazz musician who serves as Hedley's namesake. Though not physically present, he heavily influences Hedley's worldview and appears in his profound, history-focused visions as a bearer of wealth.