;The Avett Brothers •
Seth Avett – Lead and backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, piano, organ •
Scott Avett – Lead and backing vocals, banjo, acoustic guitar, piano •
Bob Crawford – Upright and electric bass, backing vocals •
Joe Kwon – Cello • Jacob Edwards – Drums, percussion ;Additional musicians •
Lenny Castro – Percussion on all songs, excluding "A Father's First Spring" •
Benmont Tench – Organ on "The Once & Future Carpenter", "A Father's First Spring", "Life", "Paul Newman vs. The Demons", "Through My Prayers", Mellotron on "A Father's First Spring", Harmonium on "Through My Prayers", Piano on "Winter In My Heart" •
Chad Smith – Drums on "Live & Die", "Down With The Shine", "Paul Newman vs. The Demons" •
Steven Nistor – Drums on "A Father's First Spring" • Ryan Hewitt – Percussion on "February Seven" •
Charlotte & Hattie Webb – Backing vocals on "Life" •
Doug Wamble – Slide guitar on "Live & Die" •
Blake Mills – Electric guitar on "Live & Die" •
Dana Neilsen – Chimes on "I Never Knew You" •
April Cap – Oboe on "Through My Prayers" •
Geoff Nudell – Bass clarinet on "Through My Prayers" • Ed Roth – Piano on "Through My Prayers" •
Danny Moynahan – Saw on "Winter In My Heart" ;Production •
Rick Rubin – Producer •
Ryan Hewitt – Engineering and Mixing • Dave Collins – Mastering • Jake Sinclair – Additional engineering on "Down With the Shine" •
Tucker Martine – Additional engineering on "A Father's First Spring" • Jordan Silva, Jon Ashley, Julian Dreyer, Evan Bradford, and Evan Hill – Recording assistants • Recorded at Echo Mountain Recording Studios, Asheville, NC, Lock Stock Studio, Venice, CA, Shangri-La, Malibu, CA • Martin Kvamme – Design == Notes and references ==