Indigo Girls

Indigo Girls are an American ^{United States} folk rock duo ^{duet (music)} , consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers.

They began in Atlanta ^{Atlanta, Georgia} as a regular act at The Little 5 Points Pub, and were tangentially part of the Athens, Georgia college rock scene ^{Music of Athens, Georgia} that included The B-52's, Pylon ^{Pylon (band)} , R.E.M., The Georgia Satellites, Widespread Panic and Love Tractor.

 
Early years

The two women got to know each other as students at Laurel Ridge Elementary School in DeKalb County, Georgia, just outside of Decatur, Georgia, but were not friends because Saliers was a grade ahead of Ray. While attending Shamrock High School, they grew closer, and started performing together, first as The B-Band and then as Saliers and Ray.

Saliers graduated and began attending Tulane University. A year later, Ray graduated and began at Vanderbilt University. Homesick, both returned to Georgia and transferred to Emory University.

By 1985 they had begun performing together again, this time as the Indigo Girls. In a March 2007 NPR ^{National Public Radio} Talk of the Nation interview, Saliers stated "we needed a name and we went through the dictionary looking for words that struck us and indigo was one."

Their first release in 1985 was a seven-inch single ^{single (music)} called "Crazy Game", with the B-side ^{A-side and B-side} "Everybody's Waiting (for Someone to Come Home)". That same year, the Indigo Girls put out a six-track self-titled EP ^{Extended play} , and in 1987 released their first full-length album, Strange Fire, recorded at John Keane Studio in Athens, Georgia, and including "Crazy Game". With this release, they secured the services of Russell Carter, who remains their manager to the present day; they had first approached him when the EP ^{Extended play} was released, but he told them their songs were "immature" and they were not likely to get a record deal. Strange Fire apparently changed his mind.


Epic Records (1988–2005)

The success of 10,000 Maniacs, Tracy Chapman, and Suzanne Vega encouraged Epic Records to look for other folk-based female singer-songwriters; Epic signed the duo in 1988. Their first major-label release, also titled Indigo Girls ^{Indigo Girls (album)} , which charted at #22 on the album chart, included a new version of "Land of Canaan", which was also on their 1985 EP and on Strange Fire. Also on the self-titled release was their first hit "Closer to Fine" (an unlikely collaboration with Irish band Hothouse Flowers), which charted at #52 on the pop ^{pop music} chart ^{record chart} and #26 on the modern rock chart. They even managed one week on the mainstream rock album-oriented rock chart at #48. In 1990, they won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album ^{Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album} . They were also nominated for Best New Artist ^{Grammy Award for Best New Artist} , but lost to Milli Vanilli, who eventually had the award revoked.

Their second album, Nomads Indians Saints, went gold in December 1991 and contained the hit song "Hammer and a Nail", a #12 modern rock track; it was not as successful as their first, which was certified platinum at about the same time. The Indigo Girls followed it with the live Back on the Bus, Y'all and 1992's album Rites of Passage ^{Rites of Passage (Indigo Girls album)} , featuring "Galileo ^{Galileo (Indigo Girls song)} ", the duo's first top 10 modern rock track (#10). This was followed by Swamp Ophelia in 1994, going platinum in September 1996, and charting at #9 on the Billboard 200 album chart ^{record chart} .

In 1995, the Indigo Girls released a live ^{live album} , double ^{double album} CD ^{Compact disc} , 1200 Curfews. Shaming of the Sun appeared in 1997 followed by Come on Now Social in 1999. Shaming of the Sun debuted at number seven on the Billboard charts, driven by the duo's high-profile contribution to the Lilith Fair music festival tour. The track "Shame on You" received more airplay at adult alternative ^{adult album alternative} , top 40 and adult top 40 radio stations than any of their previous singles, although this seemed to be a peak in their crossover success.

Retrospective, a compilation album with two new tracks, was released in 2000 and Become You followed two years later. Their last Epic ^{Epic Records} studio album was All That We Let In, released in 2004 with an accompanying tour. On June 14, 2005, they released Rarities, a collection of B-sides and rare tracks partially decided by fan's ^{fan (person)} input, which fulfilled the album count obligation for their contract with Epic.


Hollywood Records (2006–07)


After departing Epic, the Indigo Girls signed a five-record deal with Hollywood Records, a label under The Walt Disney Company. Their first (and only) Hollywood album, Despite Our Differences, produced by Mitchell Froom, was released on September 19, 2006. John Metzger from MusicBox Online described Despite our Differences as "the most infectious, pop-infused set that the duo ever has managed to concoct. In fact, its melodies, harmonies, and arrangements are so ingratiating that the album carries the weight of an instant classic." Thom Jurekof from Allmusic wrote: "part of an emotional journey as complete as can be. More relevant than anyone dared expect. It's accessible and moving and true. It's their own brand of rock & roll, hewn from over the years, that bears a signature that is now indelible. A moving, and utterly poetic offering."

The Indigo Girls were abruptly dropped by Hollywood Records during their 2007 tour to support the album.


Independent work (2007–present)

Following their break with Hollywood Records, the Indigo Girls announced their next record would be released independently. In a correspondence from Saliers on their website, she wrote that they had finished "all ten tracks for our new cd which will be released in February 2009". Poseidon and the Bitter Bug was released independently on March 24, 2009, from IG Recordings, the Indigo Girls' label, and distributed through Vanguard Records. This album will be their first fully independent release since 1987's Strange Fire. This record will also be their first two-CD set since 1995's live album 1200 Curfews; the first disc has the 10 tracks accompanied by a backing band, and the second includes the same 10 songs with only Ray and Saliers on vocals and acoustic guitars and an additional track.

While the Indigo Girls have been uniquely successful, other up-and-coming all-female bands that have been compared to them include the Canadian duo Tegan and Sara, the American jazz duo Mrs. Fun, and the American trio The Shells ^{The Shells (band)} .


Songwriting

Ray and Saliers do not ordinarily collaborate in writing songs. They write separately and work out the arrangements together. There are a few exceptions, mostly unreleased songs from their early, pre-Epic days: "I Don't Know Your Name" and "If You Live Like That." "Blood Quantum," which appears on Honor: A Benefit for the Honor the Earth Campaign featured Ray's verses and chorus and Saliers's bridge. Finally, "I'll Give You My Skin," which appears both on Tame Yourself (Benefit People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and on the Indigo Girls release Rarities, is a collaborative work by Ray, Saliers, and Michael Stipe which is doubly rare, as Saliers and Ray usually write their songs without outside collaborators.The Indigo Girls have toured as a duo and with a band. In 1990, they toured with the Atlanta band, the Ellen James Society, backing them; they have also toured with side players, with one distinct group from 1991 to 1998 and a second from 1999 onwards:


First touring band

*Gail Ann Dorsey — bass ^{Bass (guitar)} (1994)
*Sara Lee ^{Sara Lee (musician)} — bass (1991–98)
*Jerry Marotta — drums, percussion (1992–98)
*Scarlet Rivera — fiddle (1992)
*Jane Scarpantoni — cello (1992)


Second touring band

*Brady Blade — drums (2002–04)
*Matt Chamberlain — drums (2006–present)
*Blair Cunningham — drums (2000)
*Caroline Dale — cello (1999)
*Carol Isaacs — keyboards, accordion (1999–2007 and one recent show in Brighton in the UK)
*Clare Kenny — bass (1999–present)
*Caroline Lavelle — cello (2000)
*John Reynolds ^{John Reynolds (musician)} — drums (1999)
*Julie Wolf — keyboards, accordion (2008–present)In 1990, Ray founded Daemon Records, which has signed Ellen James Society, Kristen Hall, Rose Polenzani, Cordero, Girlyman, Nineteen Forty-Five, Athens Boys Choir, and James Hall ^{James Hall (singer)} among others.

Ray has put out four solo albums, entitled Stag ^{Stag (Amy Ray album)} , Prom ^{Prom (album)} , Live from Knoxville, and Didn't It Feel Kinder through Daemon. She has toured with both The Butchies and her band The Volunteers.

Saliers is also planning a solo album, and is co-owner of Watershed Restaurant in Decatur, Georgia, along with two of her friends. Saliers was an initial investor in the Flying Biscuit Cafe in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2005, Saliers and her father, Don Saliers, a theology professor at Candler School of Theology at Emory University, released the book A Song to Sing, a Life to Live: Reflections on Music as Spiritual Practice. They promoted the release of the book together including several days of speaking and performing together at the Washington National Cathedral College in Washington D.C.Ray and Saliers appeared in the latter half of the feature film Boys on the Side, playing short excerpts from their songs "Joking" and "Southland in the Springtime," as well as singing "Feliz Cumpleaños" ("Happy Birthday" ^{Happy Birthday to You} in Spanish ^{Spanish language} ) with the gathered group of friends during the birthday cake scene, and standing on the far side of several shots over the next few scenes. Neither had any spoken lines. The duo also appear in the 2006 documentary Wordplay ^{Wordplay (film)} , where they discuss their reaction to appearing in a New York Times crossword puzzle and then begin to solve one together.

Ray and Saliers performed onstage in the 1994 revival of Jesus Christ Superstar in Atlanta, titled Jesus Christ Superstar: A Resurrection. Ray played the role of Jesus and Saliers played the role of Mary Magdalene. They later reprised their roles in stagings of the musical in Austin ^{Austin, Texas} , at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, and in Seattle ^{Seattle, Washington} .

The Indigo Girls are mentioned in Stephen King's book Rose Madder ^{Rose Madder (novel)} . They are depicted playing at a picnic for a women's shelter.

They are also mentioned in the Season 7 episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", called "Conversations with Dead People". They are named as a band that the *** character Willow would listen to.

They made several cameo appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres sitcom "Ellen". In the episode "Womyn Fest" Ellen and her friends are attending a feminist music festival and catch the end of a performance by the Indigo Girls.Both Ray and Saliers have long identified themselves as ***s, though Saliers prefers "gay" because — she says — "*** has three syllables." They have never been a couple. Ray has had long-term relationships with musician Cooper Seay and feminist author Jennifer Baumgardner, and is currently in a relationship with documentary filmmaker Carrie Schrader. Because of their engagements for LGBT rights they are regarded as icons of the movement.


Political activism

The Indigo Girls have been active politically and musically. They have championed the causes and held benefit concerts for the environment ^{environmentalism} ,*** rights, the rights of Native Americans ^{Native Americans in the United States} , and the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. For many years they incorporated a recycling and public outreach program into their road tours by including Greenpeace representative Stephanie Fairbanks in their road crew. They helped Winona LaDuke establish Honor the Earth, an organization dedicated to creating support and education for native environmental issues. Ray and Saliers have also appeared at the annual SOA Watch rallies, the March for Women's Lives, and several other rallies and protests.

In 2006 the Indigo Girls were featured in artist Pink ^{Pink (singer)} 's album I'm Not Dead in the song "Dear Mr President", which has been regarded as a political confrontation with George W. Bush about war, poverty, LGBT rights, abortion rights ^pro-choice , and the No Child Left Behind Act. Returning the favor, Pink performed on the Indigo Girls' "Rock and Roll Heaven's Gate," which is about, among other things, ***ism and hetero***ism in the music industry.

During June 2007 the Indigo Girls were part of the multi-artist True Colors Tour 2007, on the tour's Las Vegas ^{Las Vegas metropolitan area} stop which benefited the Human Rights Campaign and other organizations that provide support to the LGBT community. The Indigo Girls performed again on the True Colors Tour 2008.
Albums

;Studio albums
*Indigo Girls (EP) (1987)
*Strange Fire (1987, independent 11-song version, re-released 1989 in major-label 10-song version) U.S. #159
*Indigo Girls ^{Indigo Girls (album)} (1989) U.S. #22
*Nomads Indians Saints (1990) U.S. #43
*Rites of Passage ^{Rites of Passage (Indigo Girls album)} (1992) U.S. #21
*Swamp Ophelia (1994) U.S #9, UK ^{UK Albums Chart} #66
*Shaming of the Sun (1997) U.S. #7
*Come on Now Social (1999) U.S. #34
*Become You (2002) U.S. #30
*All That We Let In (2004) U.S. #35
*Despite Our Differences (2006) U.S. #44
*Poseidon and the Bitter Bug (2009) U.S. #29

;Live albums
*Back on the Bus, Y'all (Live EP, 1991)
*1200 Curfews (1995) U.S. #40
*Perfect World (EP) (live, 2004)

;Compilations
* Deadicated ^{Deadicated: A Tribute to the Grateful Dead} 1991 ("Uncle John's Band")
*4.5 (UK and Australia only, 1995) UK ^{UK Albums Chart} #43 and appropriately gathered recordings can be traded, obtained for free from a number of sources, including the fan site.


Sound samples

*Download sample ^{Media:IndigoGirlsRedemptionSong.ogg} of a live cover ^{cover version} of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song"