Brendan Benson is a Michigan-born power pop songwriter, who leans more to the rock side of the spectrum, or maybe better described as more Who than Raspberries. Making his debut in 1996 with a sterling first album, One Mississippi, at the age of 26 Brendan Benson's music was typically labeled as power pop. Not completely in agreement with this characterization, Benson lists The Cars, David Bowie, Electric Light Orchestra, Elvis Costello, The Kinks, Robyn Hitchcock, Paul McCartney, and Todd Rundgren as is major musical influences.

Continuing work as a solo artist for the better part of ten years, Brendan Benson released three albums of his own, while also appearing on other artists' records every once in a while. 2002's Lapalco marked Brendan Benson's independent debut, and its critical acclaim urged Benson's return to the majors in 2005 with The Alternative to Love.

However, Benson remained only a minor part of the mainstream music world until 2005, when he combined with Jack White to form the Raconteurs. The new super-group was well accepted on both sides of the Atlantic, with 2006's Broken Boy Soldiers and 2008's Consolers of the Lonely both cracking both the United Kingdom's and America's Top 10 lists, in addition to also having a number one single, Steady as She Goes, top the modern rock charts in 2006.

During the creation of One Mississippi, Brendan Benson worked alongside songwriter Jason Falkner, a former member of Jellyfish and the Grays. Falkner co-wrote more than half the songs and produced the first version of One Mississippi, but Virgin Records rejected the album and sent Benson back to the studio with a new producer, Ethan Johns.