Indigo Girls

Amy Ray and Emily Saliers first met in elementary school in Decatur, Georgia, and began playing music together in high school. At that time they'd play amateur nights at local bars, calling themselves Saliers and Ray. For college, they moved to Atlanta to attend Emory University, where they changed their duo's name to Indigo Girls in 1983. They started their label, Indigo, to release their music so that they would have control over it. In 1985 they released the song "Crazy Game" as a single, and in 1987 they released their first full-length album, Strange Fire.

Their time as independent musicians was short-lived, and in 1988 they signed with Epic Records. That label released Indigo Girls in 1989 and then later re-released Strange Fire. Indigo Girls was a favorite album on college radio, especially its hit song "Closer to Fine" whose popularity saw a resurgence in 2023 with the movie Barbie. The group won a Grammy in 1989 for Best Contemporary Folk Group. Their most recent album, Look Long, was released in 2020 on Rounder Records and was their 15th album together. Later in 2024, a documentary film entitled "It's Only Life After All" will be released in movie theaters across North America.

The duo has been forthright from the beginning about their sexual orientation and political activism. They've been considered to be icons in the lesbian community, and have championed the rights of the LGBTQ community, Native Americans, and the environment, among other causes. These last two interests were combined in assistance with the Native American activist Winona LaDuke, forming the organization Honor the Earth, which was created to further environmental causes in the Native American community. They started a tour with the same name that visited college campuses and Native communities, raising money along the way to fund the organization.

Books for Revolutionary Music Fans: Indigo Girls

List created by BostonPL_JordanD

Throughout 2024, the Boston Public Library is highlighting revolutionary musicians throughout history. In March, we celebrate the Indigo Girls, lesbians and longtime icons of the LGBTQ+ movement. They have also held benefit concerts for environmental and Native American causes, among others. Their folk rock sound and their outspoken embrace of social causes has won them a devoted fan base of all ages. This list of fiction and nonfiction books will appeal to their fans both new and old. To learn more about the Indigo Girls and their music, read the blog post linked at the bottom of the list! These titles may be available in other formats or languages. Check our catalog for availability.