What is Twilight Tunes?
Twilight Tunes is a beloved annual concert series in downtown Denton that attracts an average of 650 people each week who come together and enjoy live music on the Courthouse-on-the-Square lawn.
This is the 29th year of Twilight Tunes, which started as an initiative of the Denton Main Street Association Program in 1994 to bring people downtown. The free concert series features the best of Denton from its wealth of music talent to some of the coolest residents in town.
The Twilight Tunes Dancers
Visitors to Twilight Tunes enjoy the lively music that plays each Thursday during this spring and summer event, but some of the most fun is watching the dancers who get lost in their groove.
Since its beginning, Twilight Tunes has been getting people out of their seats dancing like nobody's watching. In particular, there are some regular dancers who bring their energetic vibes to the crowd with their bouncy steps or smooth moves to the beat of any drum.
Some of Denton’s longtime residents still make these Thursday nights just the beginning of a weekend filled with their dancing as they get out to enjoy all the live music downtown has to offer.
We wanted to highlight some of these folks who have been coming (and dancing) at this event for years and have been dubbed “The Twilight Tunes Dancers.”
Photography by Tammi Paul Photography
Get to Know Some Dancers
Lee Ann Todd
How long have you been regularly attending?
- I have been a regular at Twilight Tunes.
How long have you lived in Denton?
- I have lived in Denton since 1979.
Where else do you like to go to enjoy music in Denton?
- Love the live music scene in Dynamic Denton. I like to listen to live music at Dan’s Silverleaf, Steve’s Wine Bar, Denton Arts and Jazz Festival, Twilight Tunes, Harvest House, Day of the Dead Fest, Cirque Du Horror, and Denton Blues Festival.
Do you have a favorite memory or a favorite band you always come to see at Tunes?
- Bands I love are: El Nuevo Mi Son, Taste of Herb, Texas Blues Crew, James McMurtry, Brave Combo, Guitar George, Holly and Mystery Lights, Little Jack Melody, Phelphs Family, Bubba Hernandez, and Gypsy Cats.
Elizabeth Fitzpatrick
How long have you been regularly attending?
- I have been coming to Twilight Tunes since it started.
How long have you lived in Denton?
- I came to Denton in 1979 to go to NTSU and never really left.
Where else do you like to go to enjoy music in Denton?
- I love to go to Dan's Silverleaf, Rubber Gloves, Harvest House, Red's Yard, Denton Jazz Fest, of course!
Do you have a favorite memory or a favorite band you always come to see at Tunes?
Sheryl Cason
How long have you been regularly attending?
- I came to Denton in 2010 to complete my Bachelor's degree in French Horn and decided to stay! I already had many friends here as I had followed Brave Combo since 2004.
Where else do you like to go to enjoy music in Denton?
- My inside music and dancing venue has always been Dan's Silverleaf!
Do you have a favorite memory or a favorite band you always come to see at Tunes?
- Twilight Tunes is a good time to enjoy a variety of bands at the lovely Courthouse Lawn in a relaxed setting outdoors with friends. When the music starts, it's too hard to sit still! Getting up to dance is irresistible.
You can catch more Twilight Tunes this season every Thursday evening through June 30th — including a fun, interactive, and family-friendly "Make Music Day" show on Tuesday, June 21st.
Also, in October, plan for Thursdays in downtown Denton in a different location for a mini fall series of Twilight Tunes. More info to come, so be sure to check our website for more.
Author: Courtney Stucky | Aspiro Agency