Amy Ray

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Amy Ray

Amy Elizabeth Ray (born April 12, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter and member of the well-known contemporary folk duo Indigo Girls

Indigo Girls

Indigo Girls are an American folk rock duo, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. They got their start in Atlanta, Georgia as a regular act at The Little 5 Points Pub and were tangentially part of the Athens, Georgia college rock scene that included The B-52's, Pylon , R.E.M., The Georgia Satellites, and Love Tractor....
.

On March 6, 2001 she released her first solo album, Stag
Stag (Amy Ray album)

Stag is the debut solo album by Amy Ray of Indigo Girls, 2001 in music on her Daemon Records label....
, a southern and punk rock album. The Butchies

The Butchies

The Butchies are a lesbian queercore band from Durham, North Carolina, that existed from 1998 to 2005, and are currently on a hiatus.Made up of guitarist and frontwoman Kaia Wilson, bassist Allison Martlew, and drummer Melissa York, The Butchies has been referred to as "queercore crusaders" by the Toronto-based publication Now....
provided support for five songs, and Nineteen Forty-Five and the Rock-A-Teens supported on one song apiece. Joan Jett

Joan Jett

Joan Jett is an American rock music guitarist, singer, songwriter, Record producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock N' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard charts Hot 100 No....
helped out on "Hey Castrator". On April 12, 2005, Ray released Prom
Prom (album)

Prom is the second solo album by Amy Ray of Indigo Girls, released in 2005 on her Daemon Records label....
, and on December 19, 2006, she released Live from Knoxville
Live from Knoxville

Live from Knoxville is the third solo album and first live release by Amy Ray of Indigo Girls, released in 2006 on her Daemon Records label....
.

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Encyclopedia

Amy Elizabeth Ray (born April 12, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter and member of the well-known contemporary folk duo Indigo Girls

Indigo Girls

The Butchies

Joan Jett

The Butchies

The Butchies are a lesbian queercore band from Durham, North Carolina, that existed from 1998 to 2005, and are currently on a hiatus.Made up of guitarist and frontwoman Kaia Wilson, bassist Allison Martlew, and drummer Melissa York, The Butchies has been referred to as "queercore crusaders" by the Toronto-based publication Now....
. In 2004, when she embarked on her Prom tour, she brought Les Nuby (guitar), Will Lochamy (drums), and Jody Bleyle

Jody Bleyle

Jody Bleyle is an American multi-instrumental musician, songwriter and independent record label owner.Jody Bleyle first gained public attention in the Pacific Northwest music scene of the 1990s, in the Portland, Oregon-based band Hazel ....
(bass). Bleyle was replaced with Tara Jane O'Neil

Tara Jane O'Neil

Tara Jane O'Neil is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, engineer, and painter, based out of Portland, Oregon, Oregon.O'Neil has collaborated with a diverse community of friends and advisers, scoring theater productions and short films, playing improvised shows, and working with dancers and painters....
in October because Bleyle was on maternity leave.

Ray was born and raised in Decatur, Georgia

Decatur, Georgia

Decatur is a city in, and county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, Georgia , United States. With a population of 18,147 in the 2000 census, the city is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple zip codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear the Decatur name....
, and went on to begin college at Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University is a private university research university in Nashville, Tennessee, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for ship transport and rail transport magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial United States dollar1 million endowment despite having never been to the Southern...
. After a year at Vanderbilt, Ray returned to the Atlanta area to continue her education at Emory University

Emory University

Emory University is a private university located in the metropolitan area of the city of Atlanta, Georgia in western unincorporated area DeKalb County, Georgia, Georgia , United States....
. Ray graduated from Emory in 1986 with majors in English and Religion.

Ray currently lives in the foothills of North Georgia.

Songs from compilation albums

Live track "Lucy Stoners" on Calling All Kings & Queens
Calling All Kings & Queens

Calling All Kings & Queens is a sampler album of alternative rock songs by artists on the San Francisco, California based lesbian-feminist independent record label, Mr....
(2001) Mr. Lady Records
Mr. Lady Records

Mr. Lady Records was a San Francisco based lesbian-feminist independent record label and video art distributor, which became defunct in 2004 in music....
sampler album
Live track "On Your Honor" on a compilation for Home Alive
Home Alive

Home Alive is a non-profit organization based in Seattle which promotes anti-violence. The organization offers self-defense classes and public educatation and awareness in order to reduce and prevent violence....
.

Side projects

In addition to the Indigo Girls

Indigo Girls

Indigo Girls are an American folk rock duo, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. They got their start in Atlanta, Georgia as a regular act at The Little 5 Points Pub and were tangentially part of the Athens, Georgia college rock scene that included The B-52's, Pylon , R.E.M., The Georgia Satellites, and Love Tractor....
and her work as a solo artist, Ray also runs an independent record label, Daemon Records

Daemon Records

Daemon Records is an Atlanta, Georgia based, not-for-profit independent record label started by musician Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls. The label is run mostly by the musicians who record on it....
, which she founded in 1990 and which is based in Decatur, Georgia. Some bands signed to Daemon include Girlyman

Girlyman

Girlyman is an United States folk-rock band formerly based in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, now based in Atlanta, Georgia, Georgia .Their self-released debut album, Remember Who I Am, sold 5,000 copies before it was re-released by Daemon Records, the independent record label run by Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls....
, Magnapop

Magnapop

Magnapop are a rock and roll band based in Atlanta, Georgia. Formed in 1990, the band has consistently included Linda Hopper as vocalist and Ruthie Morris on guitar....
, Nineteen Forty-Five, Michelle Malone

Michelle Malone

Michelle Malone is an United States rock music and blues singer-songwriter and guitarist. She was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Georgia by her mother and grandmother, both professional singers....
, Three Finger Cowboy, Danielle Howle and the Tantrums, Gerard McHugh, Grady Cousins, The Oblivious, Snow Machine

Snow machine

Snow machine may refer to:* Snowmobiles* Snowmaking machines, also known as a "snow cannon" or "snow gun"* Snow Machine a rock band* Snow Machine ...
, Utah Phillips

Utah Phillips

Bruce "Utah" Duncan Phillips was a labor organizer, folk singer, storytelling, poet and the "Golden Voice of the Great Southwest". He described the struggles of labor unions and the power of direct action, self-identifying as an Anarchism....
and Rose Polenzani

Rose Polenzani

Rose Polenzani is an independent folk musician. She was raised in the Chicago area and attended Knox College before leaving to pursue a singing career....
.

Ray is also an activist involved in multiple political and social causes, including gay rights, abortion rights, Native American rights, low-power broadcasting

Low-power broadcasting

Low-power broadcasting is electronic broadcasting at very low electrical power and low cost, to a small community area. These stations tend to serve small towns, or communities within large cities in the United States....
, women's rights

Women's rights

The term women's rights refers to Freedom and entitlements of women and girls of all ages. These rights may or may not be institutionalized, ignored or suppressed by law, local custom, and behavior in a particular society....
, indigenous struggles

Indigenous peoples

File:Kaiapos.jpegThe term indigenous peoples or autochthonous peoples can be used to describe any ethnic group of people who inhabit a geographic region with which they have the earliest known historical connection, alongside immigrants which have populated the region and which are greater in number....
, gun control

Gun politics in the United States

Gun politics in the United States, incorporating the political aspects of gun politics, and firearms rights, has long been among the most controversial and intractable issues in American politics....
, the Zapatista movement

Zapatista Army of National Liberation

The Zapatista Army of National Liberation is an armed revolutionary group based in Chiapas, one of the poorest states of Mexico. Since 1994, they have been in a declared war "against the Mexican state." Their social base is mostly Indigenous peoples of Mexico but they have some supporters in urban areas as well as an international web of s...
, environmental protection

Environmentalism

Environmentalism is a broad philosophy and social movement centered on a concern for the Conservation movement and improvement of the environment ....
and the anti-death penalty

Capital punishment

Capital punishment, the death penalty or execution, is the killing of a person by procedural law for Punishment#Retribution and Punishment#Incapacitation....
movement among others. She has made several trips to Chiapas

Chiapas

Chiapas is the southernmost States of Mexico of Mexico, located towards the southeast of the country. Chiapas is bordered by the states of Tabasco to the north, Veracruz to the northwest, and Oaxaca to the west....
, Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
to support the Zapatista Army of National Liberation

Zapatista Army of National Liberation

Emily Saliers

Emily Saliers is an United States singer-songwriter and member of the Indigo Girls. Saliers plays lead guitar as well as banjo, piano, mandolin, ukelele, bouzouki and many other instruments....
co-founded Honor the Earth

Honor The Earth

After meeting Winona LaDuke in 1991 Indigo Girls Amy Ray and Emily Saliers decided to hone their environmental commitment to the indigenous community....
with Winona LaDuke

Winona LaDuke

Winona LaDuke is a Native Americans in the United States activist, environmentalist, economist, and writer. In 1996 and 2000, she ran for Vice President of the United States as the nominee of the United States Green Party, on a ticket headed by Ralph Nader....
. Honor the Earth

Honor The Earth

After meeting Winona LaDuke in 1991 Indigo Girls Amy Ray and Emily Saliers decided to hone their environmental commitment to the indigenous community....
's mission is "to create awareness and support for Native environmental issues and to develop needed financial and political resources for the survival of sustainable Native 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."