Bud Caldwell
The young protagonist of the novel, an African American boy from Michigan growing up in the foster system during the Great Depression era, who misses his mother and desperately wants to find his father. Bud is a good kid, if a bit naïve, and navigates the landscape of Depression-era Flint, Michigan, driven by a quest for a better life. Along the way, he meets a host of colorful characters that both help and hinder him, but he never loses hope of finding a better future. Bud is smart, resourceful, and a bit of a liar at times, but the reader never stops rooting for him the whole way through.
Herman E. Calloway
The man who plays the “Giant Fiddle,” and whom Bud believes to be his father. A musician famous throughout Grand Rapids Michigan, Mr. C embodies the concept of tough love, especially when it comes to family. Upon meeting Bud, he wants nothing to do with him and is outwardly very cantankerous and cold. However, when it comes to light that he is not actually Bud’s father, but his grandfather, we see a much more emotional side of him. Upon learning that his daughter has died and Bud is his only surviving family, Mr. C breaks down, and shows about as much emotion as we ever see from him. He was tough on Bud’s mother to help her survive, and he’s tough on Bud for the same reasons, but in the end, he’s an old man with his heart in the right place.
Angela Janet Caldwell (Calloway) a.k.a "Momma"
Bud’s mother has sadly passed away by the time the novel begins, but she remains a powerful force in Bud’s life as he navigates Michigan and growing up in general. Bud has numerous flashbacks of her giving him advice or just being with him, and she clearly helped him become the intelligent kid he his. Her relationship with her father was complicated, but she saved all the advertisements from where his band played, displaying a deep and lasting love between the two.
Lefty Lewis
A kindly man who stops to give Bud a ride when he sees him walking along a highway at night. Lefty is a highly emotionally intelligent man, and despite Bud’s suspicious and naturally childish nature, Lefty has all the patience in the world for him. Even when Bud gets spooked by the donor blood in the backseat of Lefty’s car and tries to drive off, he treats it more as a laugh-off occurrence rather than kick Bud out of the car. Lefty understands the dangers of Great Depression-era Michigan, but doesn’t spook Bud, keeping his warnings and help friendly and welcome.
Mrs. Amos
The self-righteous and mean woman who initially had agreed to take Bud in from the orphanage, but who quickly decides he is not a good fit and wants to send him back.
Mr. Amos
Mrs. Amos's husband, he cruelly locks Bud in the shed for the evening.
Todd Amos
The Amoses' son with whom Bud gets in a fight. Todd is smart and wily, but he is mostly selfish and mean-spirited.
Bugs
Bud's good friend from the Home. Bugs gets his name from the time when a cockroach crawled into his ear. He suggests he and Bud go west to find opportunities, but when Bugs makes it onto the train setting off from the Hooverville, Bud does not.
Librarian
The Librarian fills Miss Hill's shoes and helps Bud look up places, find out their distances, etc. She is very kind to him, giving him food and an interesting book on the Civil War to peruse.
Deza Malone
A spunky and kind young girl at the Hooverville who is tasked with washing dishes with Bud. She is talkative and Bud, against his will, enjoys talking to her as well. She suggests she and Bud kiss, which he admits he will never forget, and gives him good parting advice about keeping his Momma in his heart.
Mrs. Sleet
Lefty Lewis's daughter and the mother of Scott and Kim. She is kind and warm to Bud.
Scott and Kim Sleet
The inquisitive and genial children of Mrs. Sleet and grandchildren of Lefty Lewis.
Miss Thomas
The beautiful and immensely generous singer of the Dusky Devastators. She takes a liking to Bud and finds him sincere and kind, and advocates for him to Herman. She acts as a mother figure to Bud.
Jimmy Wesley aka "Mr. Jimmy"
An elderly man like Herman who plays the trumpet in the Dusky Devastators. He is friendly to Bud, and Bud thinks he is very amusing to listen to.
Harrison "Steady Eddie" Patrick
The saxophone player and Bud's favorite member of the band, and the man who buys him his recorder and then later collects money to buy Bud an alto saxophone.
Doug "The Thug" Tennant
The band's drummer, and someone whom Bud initially finds a little too teasing for his tastes.
Roy "Dirty Deed" Breed
The friendly white pianist of the band. The Log Cabin club has to be in his name because blacks cannot own property like that in the area. The band always has a white player also so they can negotiate gigs with people who do not know the rest of the group is black.
Chug "Doo-Doo Bug" Cross
The trombone player in the band.
