The Indigo Girls are a national folk-music treasure in America. They brought us queer music when we really needed it in the late ’80s. But the kind of queer music they made wasn’t in-your-face, just provocative enough, that everyone wanted to listen. And while the two “girls” got married in 2013, the quality of their past music still holds true. It’s the first thing most Indigo Girls fans think of when they hear the name “Galileo,” unfortunately for the historical figure.

When they’re not performing as a duo, both women dedicate themselves to doing solo shows. Amy has put out more albums, but Emily isn’t that far behind. Want to learn more about how they balance being both solo and group performers? Learn about what it’s like to see Amy Ray perform solo, in concert, below.

Stag and Beyond

Amy Ray had the idea of a solo career long before the couple got famous together. She put out her first solo album, Stag, in 2001. Stag was more rock and grit than the work she’d done on the Indigo Girls, and it divided current IG fans. As her solo career grew, her sound evolved. She even got to collaborate with one of her musical icons, Joan Jett – which was fulfilling for everyone involved, including the fans!

A Full Life

As Amy and Emily, who are now married in both the US and Canada, continue living life together, they try to keep making music. It’s been about two years since we got a new album from the two of them, but Amy puts out new work as regularly as she can.