Slingshot Professionals was Phelps' first album with producer Lee Townsend. Phelps is joined by guitarist Bill Frisell and bassist Keith Lowe on two tracks: "Not So Far to Go" and "Cardboard Box of Batteries," and the rest of the album features bassist Andrew Downing, as well as fiddler Jesse Zubot and guitarist Steve Dawson. Petra Haden (daughter of jazz musician Charlie Haden) whose album Townsend was producing at the time, harmonizes on one song.