Julie Roberts grew up singing country music in Lancaster, S.C., taking part in pre-school plays and school choirs and performing in My Fair Lady in a summer camp for singers. Accompanied by her mother and Aunt Crystal, she toured regionally in junior high and high school, playing festivals in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Her love of the blues was sparked during her early teens, when she sang with a group of men in their 60s and 70s, performing monthly at two different nursing homes. She also spent four summers working in music shows at Carowinds, a theme park in Charlotte, and later at Dollywood in East Tennessee. As an entertainer, she was inspired by Barbara Mandrell, while she looked to Tanya Tucker for vocal influences.

After attending the University of South Carolina in Lancaster for two years, she transferred to Belmont University in Nashville and formed a band that played small clubs such as Harvey Washbangers and Guido's and big events such as the Nashville Predators hockey games.

After graduating from Belmont, she became a full-time staffer at Mercury Records to pay her bills, starting as the office receptionist and later as assistant to label head Luke Lewis. All the while, she worked on her music at night, though Lewis didn't know she was a singer. After producer Brent Rowan heard her demo, he was so impressed they began working together immediately. In 2003, Rowan met with Lewis to play new songs from several artists, including Roberts. After hearing her, Lewis said, "I want to know who this is. I want to meet this girl." Rowan said, "It's the girl right down the hall. It's your assistant."

--CMT.com