 Wilson was born in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, the daughter of Emily (née Wilson), a hairdresser, and Russell Wilson, a coal salesman.She first found a musical outlet with local musical group "Hank's Hepcats" in her teenage years and briefly attended Omaha University.She won the title of Miss Nebraska and would have competed in the Miss America pageant, until it was discovered that she was just under the required minimum age of 18.