Amy Ray#Side projects

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Amy Ray

| image = Amy Ray at The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ 04202012 2sm.jpg

| caption = Ray performing in Asbury Park, New Jersey in 2012

| birth_name = Amy Elizabeth Ray

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|4|12|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Decatur, Georgia, U.S.

| death_date =

| origin = Georgia, U.S.

| genre = Folk rock

| occupation = {{flatlist|

Singer-songwriter
record producer

}}

| instrument = {{flatlist|

Vocals
acoustic guitar
electric guitar
mandolin
harmonica

}}

| years_active = 1985–present

| label = {{flatlist|

}}

| current_member_of = Indigo Girls

| website = {{Official URL}}

| associated_acts = Indigo Girls

}}

Amy Elizabeth Ray (born April 12, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter and member of the contemporary folk duo Indigo Girls with Emily Saliers.{{cite web |author=Monger, Timothy |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/amy-ray-mn0000025583/biography |title=Amy Ray | Biography |publisher=AllMusic |date=2021 |access-date=April 15, 2022}} She also pursues a solo career, releasing ten albums under her own name, and founded the independent label Daemon Records in 1989. Ray is known for her alto and tenor range, and plays both electric and acoustic guitar, as well as mandolin and harmonica.

Biography

File:Amy Ray.png

Born in Decatur, Georgia, Amy Ray met Emily Saliers when they both attended the same elementary school.{{cite journal |journal=Atlanta Magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qOECAAAAMBAJ&q=Laurel+Ridge+Elementary+indigo&pg=PA72 |title=From Brenda Lee to Ludacris: A Sonic Portrait of Our City |first=Rebecca |last=Burns |page=80 |date=June 2003 |volume=43 |number=2 |issn=0004-6701 |publisher=Emmis Communications |access-date=July 11, 2017}} They began performing together and recorded a demo in 1981. After graduation, Ray and Saliers went to different colleges with Ray attending Vanderbilt University. By 1985, they had both transferred to Emory University in Atlanta and formed the Indigo Girls.{{cite book |last=Malkin |first=John |title=Sounds of freedom: musicians on spirituality & social change |year=2005 |publisher=Parallax |isbn=978-1-888375-47-3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781888375473/page/48 48] |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781888375473 |url-access=registration}} In 1986, Ray graduated from Emory with majors in English and Religion.{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}

In March 2001, Ray released her first solo album, Stag, a southern and punk rock album. The Butchies, a punk band whose members include Kaia Wilson, Melissa York, and Alison Martlew, provided support for five songs, and Joan Jett played on "Hey Castrator". In April 2005, Ray released the softer edged{{cite news |last=Baca |first=Ricardo |title=Amy Ray: An Indigo Girl gone solo — but only temporarily |date=March 3, 2012 |publisher=The Denver Post |url=http://www.denverpost.com/music/ci_20276895/amy-ray-an-indigo-girl-gone-solo-mdash}} Prom, and in December 2006, she released Live from Knoxville. Her fourth solo album, the melodic Didn't It Feel Kinder, was released in August 2008. Lung of Love, which has more of an indie-rock sound, was released in 2012.{{cite news |last=Rodman |first=Sarah |title=Amy Ray's 5 top things about touring as a solo girl |date=April 13, 2012 |publisher=The Boston Globe |url=http://articles.boston.com/2012-04-13/music/31323470_1_tour-bus-rock-band-indigo-girls|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118090503/http://articles.boston.com/2012-04-13/music/31323470_1_tour-bus-rock-band-indigo-girls|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 18, 2013}}

Her backup band for her Stag tour was The Butchies. In 2004, when she embarked on her Prom tour, she brought Les Nuby (guitar), Will Lochamy (drums), and Jody Bleyle (bass). Tara Jane O'Neil replaced Bleyle when she began maternity leave in October. {{Citation needed|date=April 2011}} Ray's backup band for her 2012 Lung of Love tour was The Butchies. Jenn Stone, former keyboard player for Kesha, also performed on the tour.

Side projects

File:Kaia Wilson and Amy Ray on stage at The Saint sms.jpg and Ray on stage in 2012]]

In addition to the Indigo Girls{{cite news |title=Where the Outdoors Are Humming With Melodies and Messages |last=Caramanica |first=Jon |date=June 17, 2009 |work=New York Times}}{{cite book |author=Mina Carson |author2=Tisa Lewis |author3=Susan M. Shaw |title=Girls rock!: fifty years of women making music |year=2004 |publisher=UP of Kentucky |isbn=978-0-8131-2310-3 |page=144 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cEDqNRkk6KIC&pg=PA144}} and her work as a solo artist, Ray also runs an independent record label, Daemon Records, which she founded in 1990 and which is based in Decatur, Georgia. Some performers signed to Daemon include Girlyman, Magnapop, Nineteen Forty-Five, Michelle Malone, Three Finger Cowboy, Danielle Howle and the Tantrums, Gerard McHugh, New Mongrels, Grady Cousins, The Oblivious, Snow Machine, Utah Phillips and Rose Polenzani.

She often collaborates with The Butchies, a punk band featuring drummer Melissa York and vocalist/guitarist Kaia Wilson. She has contributed the live track "Lucy Stoners" on Calling All Kings & Queens (2001) and the Mr. Lady Records sampler album as well as a live recording of "On Your Honor" on a compilation for Home Alive.

Ray is also an activist involved in multiple political and social causes, including gay rights, low-power broadcasting, women's rights, indigenous struggles, gun control, environmental protection and the anti-death penalty movement among others. She has made several trips to Chiapas, Mexico to support the Zapatista Army of National Liberation.

In 1993, she and Emily Saliers co-founded Honor the Earth with Winona LaDuke. Honor the Earth's mission is "to create awareness and support for Native [American] environmental issues and to develop needed financial and political resources for the survival of sustainable Native [American] communities. Honor the Earth develops these resources by using music, the arts, the media, and indigenous wisdom to ask people to recognize our joint dependency on the Earth and be a voice for those not heard."{{cite web |url=http://www.honorearth.org/about-us |title=Campaigns |publisher=Honor the Earth |access-date=January 27, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006123014/http://www.honorearth.org/about-us |archive-date=October 6, 2013}}

Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) appears on her 2014 album Goodnight Tender, and she and Vernon continue to maintain a friendship.{{Cite news |url=http://www.cigarcitymanagement.com/podcast/2017/3/6/episode-22-amy-ray-indigo-girls |title=Episode 22 – Amy Ray (Indigo Girls) |work=Cigar City Management |access-date=March 29, 2017 |language=en-US}}

Ray was also a judge for the 3rd[http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima_new/imajudges2004.asp "3rd Annual IMA Judges"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151112142917/http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima_new/imajudges2004.asp |date=November 12, 2015 }}. Independent Music Awards. Retrieved on September 4, 2013. and 11th Annual[http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima/judges/11th-annual-ima-judges/ "11th Annual IMA Judges]. Independent Music Awards. Retrieved on September 4, 2013. Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.

Personal life

Ray uses she/her pronouns and is a lesbian.{{Cite web |date=2021-03-30 |title=Amy Ray, the Indigo Girls, and the Soundtrack of Our Gay Lives |url=https://www.advocate.com/music/2021/3/30/amy-ray-indigo-girls-and-soundtrack-our-gay-lives |url-status=live |access-date=2021-03-30 |website=The Advocate |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210330182133/https://www.advocate.com/music/2021/3/30/amy-ray-indigo-girls-and-soundtrack-our-gay-lives |archive-date=March 30, 2021}}

Ray lives in the foothills of North Georgia with her partner, Carrie Schrader, and their daughter, Ozilline Graydon.{{cite news |title=Amy Ray talks new country album, new baby and Indigo Girls |last=Ruggieri |first=Melissa |date=January 10, 2014 |publisher=Access Atlanta |url=http://www.accessatlanta.com/weblogs/atlanta-music-scene/2014/jan/20/amy-ray-talks-new-country-album-new-baby-and-indig/ |access-date=February 2, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160928194037/http://www.accessatlanta.com/weblogs/atlanta-music-scene/2014/jan/20/amy-ray-talks-new-country-album-new-baby-and-indig/ |archive-date=September 28, 2016 |url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |date=2011-11-02 |title=Indigo Girls' Amy Ray on tattoos and coming out - Windy City Times News |url=https://www.windycitytimes.com/lgbt/Indigo-Girls-Amy-Ray-on-tattoos-and-coming-out/34539.html |access-date=2021-02-22 |website=Windy City Times}} In March 2021, Ray spoke on the LGBTQ&A podcast about having gender dysphoria and being genderqueer.{{cite news |title=LGBTQ&A: Amy Ray: Indigo Girls FOREVER (!!!) |date=May 4, 2021 |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amy-ray-indigo-girls-forever/id1151561226?i=1000515007832 |access-date=February 13, 2023 |url-status=live |website=Apple Podcasts |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504023415/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amy-ray-indigo-girls-forever/id1151561226?i=1000515007832 |archive-date=May 4, 2021}}

Ray identifies herself as "religious" and a "Pagan Christian".{{Cite web |url=https://holler.country/feature/ten-year-town-amy-ray |website=Holler. |accessdate=2023-05-04 |date=2022-11-16 |last=Jerome |first=Helen |title=Ten Year Town: Amy Ray |lang=en-US}}

Discography

=Studio albums=

Stag (2001)
Prom (2005)
Didn't It Feel Kinder (2008)
Lung of Love (2012)
Goodnight Tender (2014)
Holler (2018){{Cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/03/07/701048030/amy-ray-band-on-mountain-stage?t=1552225187905 |title=Amy Ray Band On Mountain Stage |website=NPR.org |date=March 7, 2019 |access-date=March 10, 2019}}
If It All Goes South (2022)