Babz Chula's formative years were spent in a working-class Jewish community in Jamaica, New York, where her father, Larry, worked as a mechanic and stock-car driver. Tragedy struck when Larry was killed in a race at the tender age of 27, leaving his 24-year-old widow, Abby, to single-handedly raise Babz and her brother. To make ends meet, Abby took on a booking agent role for the renowned Leonard Bernstein.
The family subsequently relocated to Los Angeles, where Babz's academic prowess earned her a scholarship to the prestigious California Institute of the Arts. However, she soon found herself drawn to the East Coast's folk music scene, and headed to New York with the intention of pursuing a singing career.
After a stint in New York, Babz returned to the West Coast, becoming an integral part of the counterculture movement. She eventually made the bold decision to relocate to the Kootenays, a rural region in British Columbia, Canada. The early 1980s saw Babz return to Vancouver, where she reignited her passion for acting and singing, ultimately solidifying her presence in the entertainment industry.