Pasternak was born in Hartford, CT., and had planned to be a marine ecologist until she was stricken with a rather severe bout of rheumatoid arthritis, which effectively ended her ability to spend long periods of time on boats and even left her temporarily unable to walk. After recuperating, Pasternak threw herself into music, her other major interest, and honed her guitar-playing and songwriting chops. In 1992, Pasternak moved to Boston, where she established herself on the city's fertile singer-songwriter scene and eventually picked up a Boston Music Award for Outstanding New Contemporary Folk Act in 1996. Her independently issued album More was picked up for national release in 1997 after one of its songs was featured on the This Is Boston, Not Austin compilation. ~ Steve Huey