With her engaging stage presence and alto vocals, it didn't take long for singer/songwriter Emily West to get a foothold in Nashville's country music scene. The youngest of four children, West was born in Waterloo, Iowa, where she discovered Patsy Cline at a young age and began taking voice lessons from a local rock singer. Inspired to pursue a career in country music, she began making regular trips to Nashville and worked to finish high school early. She graduated in 2000 and quickly moved to Nashville, where she signed a publishing deal with the local Warner-Chapell company and caught the ear of producer Mike Dungan, who signed her to Capitol Records Nashville. A self-titled four-song EP was released via the Internet in late 2007, which the debut single "Rocks in Your Shoes" hit the Billboard country charts in 2008.