bˈɔːɹn ɪn lˌɑːs ˈændʒəlɪs kˈaʊnti ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti sˈɪks, pˈeɪtən lˈɪvd ɪn kˌælɪfˈoːɹniə, ˌɪlənˈɔɪ, tˈɛksəs, nˈuː mˈɛksɪkˌoʊ, ænd ɐlˈæskə bᵻfˌoːɹ sˈɛɾəlɪŋ ɪn bɹˈɪɾɪʃ kəlˈʌmbiə æt ðɪ ˈeɪdʒ ʌv sˈɪkstiːn.
Born in Los Angeles County in 1966, Payton lived in California, Illinois, Texas, New Mexico, and Alaska before settling in British Columbia at the age of 16.