Vanessa Carlton was born and raised in Mitford, Pennsylvania, along with her younger sister, Gwen. Her father, Ed, was a pilot and played the fiddle. Her mother, Heidi, was a teacher and taught piano lessons from her home. When Carlton was two years old, she taught herself to play "It's A Small World" on the piano, after a family trip to Disneyland. Her mother then began giving the youngster piano lessons, and she also took dance lessons.

As Carlton grew up, there was always a large selection of music to listen to. Her mother preferred the sound of classical music, including Mozart and Debussy. Her father enjoyed classic rock music, including Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin.

In her early teens she was recognized for her skill at ballet dancing, and was accepted at the prestigious School of American Ballet in Manhattan. At 14 years of age, she found herself moving to New York City to study professional dance. "I was pretty fearless when I was 14. I loved it. ... It was like camp," she told What Magazine. Carlton felt that she knew the path that her life would take. "I'd be a ballet dancer until I was done with my career, which would be about 39, and [then] I'd be out of a job," she told the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

Born on August 16, 1980, in Mitford, PA.

Education: Attended School of American Ballet, New York City; attended Columbia University.

Address: Record company--A&M Records, c/o Interscope Records, 2220 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90404
Website: http://www.vanessacarlton.com