The folk rock duo Indigo Girls, comprised of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, are embarking on a tour this spring with Native American activist Winona LaDuke, focusing on the intersection of environmental concerns and Native American issues. The tour, beginning April 10, will feature discussions and performances centered around energy justice and alternative energy developments in Native communities, with proceeds benefiting Honor the Earth’s Energy Justice Initiative.
Indigo Girls have maintained a consistent presence in music for nearly four decades, releasing 16 studio albums and selling over 15 million records. They first gained prominence after releasing their self-titled major-label debut in 1989. The duo met as students at Laurel Ridge Elementary School in DeKalb County, Georgia, though they didn’t become close friends until attending Shamrock High School, where they began performing together.
Saliers, reflecting on her life outside of music, described a focus on personal growth and family. She married Tristin Chipman in 2013 and has a daughter, Cleo, age eight. Ray, similarly, has focused on family, building a treehouse for her seven-year-old daughter, Ozilline, with her partner Carrie Schrader. Both artists expressed a sense of humility regarding their influence, downplaying the notion of being “icons.”
The Honor the Earth tour builds on Indigo Girls’ long-standing commitment to activism. Saliers highlighted the deep connection between environmentalism and Native American rights, emphasizing the impact of energy policies on Native communities and ways of life. She also noted the importance of LGBTQ+ rights, citing her own identity as a motivating factor in her activism.
Indigo Girls have released albums on major labels through 2007, after which they formed their own record company, IG Recordings, in 2009, allowing them to self-produce their perform. Ray has also founded a non-profit recording label supporting independent musicians, while Saliers is involved in the restaurant industry and has authored books, and frequently collaborates with her father, Don Saliers, on performances for special causes.
Both Ray and Saliers identify as lesbians and are recognized as queer icons. They were nominated for a Best Novel Artist Grammy, though the outcome of that nomination was not specified.
