A native of Sheffield in western Massachusetts, Greene started playing the violin at the age of four. During high school, she took a break from the instrument to play guitar in a rock band before deciding to play violin in more contemporary styles.[1]
Later, she got a degree from the UCLA in ethnomusicology, and joined the Peter Himmelman "Skin" tour, playing violin and singing backup. Upon returning to Los Angeles, Greene joined the Geraldine Fibbers, with whom she recorded two albums. In 1997, she moved to Minneapolis, joining the Jayhawks.[2] In Minnesota, Greene played with local projects and recorded two solo albums.[3]