Aubrey Ashburn was born in 1976 near Cleveland, OH. Growing up with choirs, private voice lessons, and violin lessons, Ashburn was a natural for Juilliard. In 1994, she secured a scholarship to the prestigious music school, but her demo tape was rejected. Crestfallen, Ashburn moved to San Diego and began training for her private pilot's license. In 1996, she returned to music when her father -- a singer/songwriter himself -- agreed to finance a demo. Chance encounters led to the involvement of longtime industry-connected producer Jerry Merrill, who helmed the sessions for Ashburn's debut, and took on A&R duties. Sleeping Virtue appeared on the Gaston imprint in spring 2003. A low-key mix of AAA pop, cabaret, and blues styles, the album garnered comparisons to the mature pop of artists like Sarah McLachlan. Johnny Loftus.