DEANNA MITCHELL spent her life prepping to become a country artist... but, she didn't know it until she took the stage with a band called Due West*. Born in Connecticut and raised in Missouri, Dee got her calling to country as a young girl courtesy of her parent’s vinyl collection. Thanks to many nights of seeing Robert and Florence cutting the rug to a CCR country groove, Dee caught the bug. After finishing school, she left home and led a gypsy’s life for more than a decade. From St. Louis to Calgary, Canada -- from Maine to Miami, Deanna sang -and lived - it all. Years of belting out the standards in ballrooms and rocking backwoods roadhouses helped to cultivate her incredible vocals. She had found her true talent but, lost her way in life. She almost gave up on trying to make it several times. Maybe the inner strength she tapped into as a cancer survivor helped her to keep on - keeping on.