The Indigo Girls, an American folk-rock lesbian duo consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Sailers, went under the Queer Spotlight this week. The girls began in 1985 with the release of a seven-inch single "Crazy Game", and an EP and full-length album titled Strange Fire followed. In 1988 they signed a major record deal with Epic Records and released their second, self-titled album. The album reached #22 in the US and was certified platinum. The duo was nominated a Grammy Award for "Best New Artist" (loosing to Milli Vanilli), and won one for "Best Contemporary Folk Album". The album produced their highest charting single on the Billboard Hot 100 "Closer To Fine", which reached #52.
The studio albums Nomads Indians Saints (1990), Rights Of Passage (1992), Swamp Ophelia (1994), Shaming of the Sun (1997), Come on Now Social (1999), Become You (2002), All That We Let In (2004) all followed until the girls departed with Epic and signed with Hollywood Records.
Their stay with Hollywood was cut short after the release of just one album, 2006's Despite our Differences. The album was highly praised for being "...the most infectious, pop-infused set that the duo ever has managed to concoct...its melodies, harmonies, and arrangements are so ingratiating that the album carries the weight of an instant classic." Since leaving, the girls are now releasing their music independently and in March 2009 released the album Poseidon and the Bitter Bug which reached #29 on the Billboard 200.
The girls are heavily involved in political activism. Their advocating for LGBT rights has made them gay icons. As well as this, they stand for environmental causes and have worked with Greenpeace, the rights of Native Americans, and are part of the National Coatition to Abolish the Death Penalty. 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, they featured on Pink's album I'm Not Dead in the song "Dear Mr President", a protest song criticizing George W. Bush about war, poverty, LGBT rights, abortion rights, and the No Child Left Behind Act. During June 2007 the Indigo Girls were part of the multi-artist True Colors Tour 2007, created by fellow gay icon Cyndi Lauper in benefit of 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.
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