Paul Kelly was born in Adelaide, one of nine children, in 1955. He wrote his first song in 1976 and has been making records since 1978, over thirty to date. He has collaborated with many other songwriters and written music for film and theatre. His prose has appeared in Meanjin, The Monthly, Rolling Stone and The Age and in 2010 he published a 'mongrel memoir', How to Make Gravy. His most recent album is 2019's Thirteen Ways to Look at Birds.

Troy Bramston has been a senior writer and columnist with The Australian newspaper, and a contributor to Sky News, since 2011. He was previously a columnist with The Sunday Telegraph (2010–11).

Troy is the author or editor of seven previous books, including Looking for the Light on the Hill (2011), Rudd, Gillard and Beyond (2014), and, with Paul Kelly, The Dismissal (2015). He has an economics degree with honours from The University of Sydney and a masters degree in politics and international relations from The University of NSW.

Troy has worked as a policy and political adviser, and speechwriter, in government, opposition, and the private sector. He was awarded the Centenary Medal by the governor-general for services towards the centenary of federation commemorations in 2001. Troy lives in Sydney with his partner, Nicky, and two children, Madison and Angus.