 Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Boozer participated in beauty pageants in her youth and was crowned Miss Tallahassee in 1967.She received her bachelor's degree from Florida State University and completed graduate studies in vocal performance at the Juilliard School.At Juilliard she notably performed the role of Venus in a production of Jean-Philippe Rameau's rarely performed "Dardanus" with tenor John Aler in the title role in 1975.