The daughter of two musicians, Victoria Shaw grew up listening to the California country-rock of the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt. She began singing and writing songs as a child, performing with her sister around Los Angeles. Her later songwriting career resulted in three country number ones, "The River" for Garth Brooks, "Too Busy Being in Love" for Doug Stone and John Michael Montgomery's "I Love the Way You Love Me." Shaw's debut album, In Full View, was released by Reprise in mid-1995; her self-titled follow-up appeared two years later.