Colvin was born in Vermillion, South Dakota, and spent her youth in Carbondale, Illinois and London, Ontario, Canada. She is the second of four children. She learned to play guitar at the age of 10 and grew up listening to her father\'s collection of music, which included artists such as Pete Seeger and the Kingston Trio.\n', '

Colvin moved to Austin, Texas and joined a Western swing band called the Dixie Diesels. She then entered "the folk circuit in Illinois and Berkeley", California before straining her vocal cords and taking a sabbatical at the age of 24.\n', '

Colvin relocated to New York City, joining the Buddy Miller Band in 1980 and later became involved in the Fast Folk cooperative of Greenwich Village.\n', '

Return to Shawn Colvin Autograph Profile