Daughters of Atlanta, pioneers in music and activists on a variety of social issues, the Indigo Girls have done their city proud. With the upcoming release of “Beauty Queen Sister,” the duo of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers is about to hit the road, including a benefit show in Atlanta for Party at Ponce on Oct. 1 and a tour stop at the Classic Center in Athens, Ga., on Oct. 6.
The first single from the new album, “Making Promises,” is already winning praise as a download and an official lyric video on YouTube. We caught up with Amy Ray to talk about the music, the activism and their hometown.
Shannon Hames: Your fans really respond to your acoustic shows and recordings. Why do the fans feel so strongly about your live performances?
Amy Ray: I don’t know. I hope it’s not because we haven’t captured what we do live on our records. When you do a lot of harmonies, there’s something about the way that happens live – you’re just riveted. A live harmony has a certain effect on people. People like to sing along. Folk music lends itself a lot to a live setting.