Amy Ray and Emily Saliers met in elementary school in Decatur, Georgia, and began performing music together in high school. They formed the Indigo Girls in 1983 while attending Emory University in Atlanta, initially releasing independent recordings including the single 'Crazy Game' in 1985 and their debut album Strange Fire in 1987. Signing with Epic Records in 1988, their self-titled 1989 album featured the single 'Closer to Fine' and won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Recording. The duo blends folk, rock, pop, and Appalachian influences across 16 studio albums, with six consecutive gold or platinum certifications by 1996 and their latest, Look Long, in 2020. They founded Daemon Records in 1990 and co-founded the Honor the Earth organization in 1993. Indigo Girls maintain a bar-band energy in live performances, known for tight harmonies and audience engagement from their early Atlanta club days through major festivals.