Born in the Bronx, New York, Friedman spent her formative years in the San Fernando Valley, north of Los Angeles. She started playing guitar at the age of eight while listening to Woodie Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Josh White. Her first song gained her a spot on the television talent show Rocket to Stardom at age twelve. While at Ulysses S. Grant High School, she started playing Hoot nights at The Troubadour in West Hollywood, met the musicians Steve Mann and Hoyt Axton and became part of the growing musical scene of Los Angeles.