As music industry mavericks, the Indigo Girls have been pushing the boundaries of folk-rock and social activism for well over two decades, along the way cultivating a fervent and dedicated fan base. The Indigo girls are comprised of Emily Saliers, who was born in 1963 in New Haven, Connecticut, and Amy
Ray, born in Atlanta one year later. When Saliers’ family moved to Decatur, Georgia, Emily and Amy met in high school and began playing open mic nights there under a couple of different band names. In 1981, they recorded their first demo in Amy's basement. After play
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ing the local scene for four years, they adopted the name Indigo Girls and began releasing singles to Atlanta radio. This led to an independent record deal and the release of their debut album, Strange Fire in 1987. The exposure from that led to a deal with Epic records and the release of their groundbreaking album, 1989’s Closer to Fine, which resulted in Grammy awards for Best Contemporary Folk Recording and Best New Artist (after the title was stripped from
Milli Vanilli). The Indigo Girls had finally arrived with big bang into the pop culture lexicon.
Since Closer to Fine, the duo has released over a dozen records, contributed to countless charities and set up their own non-profit record company. Off stage, the Indigo Girls have been very active politically, championing the causes of the environment, gay rights, the rights of Native Americans and the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. There upcoming album, to be released in 2009 is the first CD from an independent label since Strange Fire and that fits the duo’s outspoken ways just fine. As singer songwriters and folk artists, the Indigo Girls have been compared to
Simon &
Garfunkel, Joan Armatrading and
Joni Mitchell, but their passionate blend of “luscious harmonies, catchy melodies and fearless social commentary” is what has made them truly unique amongst folk rock acts, not to mention their prodigious senses of humor. “Every five years or so I look back on my life and have a good laugh,” Emily Saliers has said. But no one is laughing at the Indigo Girls. We’re all laughing with them.
