Singer/songwriter Kate Voegele grew up outside Cleveland, in Bay Village, OH, where she began singing in her church choir at age ten. Though her father had always played the guitar around the house when she was growing up, it wasn't until she had already entered high school that Voegele first picked one up with any seriousness. Spurred on by a breakup, she began to write songs, seeking musical guidance from her father, who also convinced her to let him record some of her work. One of these demos managed to find its way into the hands of a Warner Bros. representative at a Michelle Branch concert, and soon Voegele had garnered some major-label interest, especially from Maverick, the WB-imprint owned by Madonna. In 2003 a five-song EP, The Other Side, was put together by the young singer with help from producer Michael Seifert. Soon after, Voegele was opening at Farm Aid in Seattle and performing in the Women in Rock set at SXSW, not to mention at numerous venues around Cleveland and at label showcases. Finally, in the fall of 2006, just a sophomore in college, and while out in L.A. working on new songs, Voegele was officially signed to the burgeoning MySpace Records, which released her full-length debut, Don't Look Away, the following spring.