by Brian Wahlert Ana Egge was born in Estevan, Saskatchewan, and grew up in the small northwest North Dakota town of Ambrose, where her father farmed wheat. The Egges, described by Ana as latter-day hippies, traveling back and forth between North Dakota and New Mexico in a '69 Dodge van through much of Ana's youth until they settled in Silver City, New Mexico, to open an alternative school when Ana was 12. Her rich childhood experiences and keen perception led her to songwriting, and at the encouragement of Sarah Brown, Egge went to Austin in 1994 to record a demo. The resulting tape won admirers like Asleep at the Wheel drummer Dave Sanger, who would eventually produce her first album, and led to Egge's permanent move to the Texas capital. She quickly won the 1995 Village Voyage Songwriter Search and a trip to New York City. After winning several more awards on the Austin music scene, she released her first album, 1997's River Under the Road. By 1998 she was touring with Grammy-winning pop/folk artist Shawn Colvin.