Born in a tiny town in Pennsylvania, Vanessa Carlton was listening to music before she was born, as her mother played various classical pieces on the family piano. At the age of two, Carlton and her parents went to Disney World, where she heard "It's a Small World." Falling in love with the song, she discerned its melody on the piano when she returned home. Having composed her first piano piece at age eight, Carlton was exposed to a wide array of music, from Debussy to Pink Floyd. At 14, she was accepted into the School of American Ballet in New York, where she lived in a dorm in the famous Lincoln Center. But, after being in the top of her class, she became frustrated at the strictness of the discipline. This frustration led to her playing a nearby piano within the dorm, from which a multitude of songs began forming.

Born in a tiny town in Pennsylvania, Vanessa Carlton was listening to music before she was born, as her mother played various classical pieces on the family piano. At the age of two, Carlton and her parents went to Disney World, where she heard "It's a Small World." Falling in love with the song, she discerned its melody on the piano when she returned home. Having composed her first piano piece at age eight, Carlton was exposed to a wide array of music, from Debussy to Pink Floyd. At 14, she was accepted into the School of American Ballet in New York, where she lived in a dorm in the famous Lincoln Center. But, after being in the top of her class, she became frustrated at the strictness of the discipline. This frustration led to her playing a nearby piano within the dorm, from which a multitude of songs began forming. After waitressing in Lower Manhattan and living in Hell's Kitchen, Carlton would drive between her place and her parents' home on weekends, attempting to record "the perfect demo" on piano. Open mic nights in New York City followed, and her music caught the attention of important music industry ears. In February 2002, her debut single, "A Thousand Miles," hit the charts and its video was played on MTV. She performed on Rosie O'Donnell, MTV's TRL, and was mentioned in Rolling Stone as one of ten artists to watch in 2002. In April 2002, she released her debut album, Be Not Nobody. Carlton's second effort, Harmonium, followed two years later. For her third record, Carlton worked with a range of producers -- everyone from Irv Gotti to Linda Perry. The results, titled Heroes & Thieves, appeared in late 2007. ~ Jason MacNeil, All Music Guide