Alexa Woodward was born in the state of Alabama, but later on moved with her family to be raised in South Carolina and Virginia.
She made the transition into music after finding an old banjo her father, documentary film maker Stan Woodward, had bought but had never taken much interest in.
The banjo's make was a Gibson from the early 1960s, and Woodward describes it as her main instrument she writes (her music) on "exclusively".
She later ventured out to perform at other public venues such as Banjo Jim's, the American Folk Art Museum, Pete's Candy Store, and The Living Room.
After completing a year of law school, Woodward headed down south to perform the Kerrville Folk Festival in the Texas hill country.