New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The
Texas Dance Hall Tour today announced the complete music lineup for its inaugural weeklong destination tour of
Texas dance halls throughout the Hill Country and East Texas. Created to showcase the truest form of the dance hall experience, the event will feature musical performances from well-known artists including Ray Benson, Asleep at the Wheel, Lee Ann Womack, Dale Watson, Heybale, High Plains Jamboree, Hot Club of Cowtown and the Quebe Sisters. The tour runs from March 20, 2017, to March 26, 2017.
The great
State of
Texas is filled with historic dance halls. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, more than 1,000 dance halls throughout the state flourished as bastions of
Texas culture and pride. Today, there are only about 400 dance halls remaining in Texas. Despite the decline, there are still more historic dance halls in
Texas than anywhere else in the country.
"Texas dance halls are filled with history and romance and represent a way of life," said Deb Fleming, president of
Texas Dance Hall Preservation, a nonprofit chosen as the beneficiary of the
Texas Dance Hall Tour. "These halls were once a central fixture of Texas' small towns and have been the breeding grounds of
Texas music for more than a century. If you've never danced in one, you're missing out on a piece of the rich cultural and musical history of this great state."
Backed by Asleep at the Wheel and Ray Benson, the
Texas Dance Hall Tour will not only entertain the passengers of this six-day 'land cruise' to five historic dance halls—including Luckenbach Dance Hall and Sengelmann Hall—but will also introduce visitors to Texas' true charm and raise awareness of the growing need to help preserve these state treasures.
Participants from near and far can expect a unique and unforgettable experience with dance lessons—including the famous "Texas Two-Step"—as well as Texas-style dinners and various regional daytime activities that include trips to a
Texas whiskey distillery, a winery and a buggy barn that features more than 140 buggies dating back to the 1860s.
"When I moved to
Texas in the early 1970s, the dance hall circuit was cookin'," said Ray Benson, lead singer and co-founder of Asleep at the Wheel. "It was a proving ground where musicians learned how to entertain and keep people dancing for four hours. There wouldn't be
Texas music without
Texas dance halls, and these are the places where greats like Bob Wills, Willie
Nelson and
George Strait cut their chops and perfected their crafts."
Hyatt Place San Antonio-North/Stone Oak and the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa will provide accommodations for those purchasing packages. Reservations for the
Texas Dance Hall Tour are limited and are now available on a first-come, first-served basis. Come have some fun and help save
Texas dance halls one two-step at a time!
About the
Texas Dance Hall Tour
The
Texas Dance Hall Tour is a weeklong tour and showcase of chosen historic dance halls in
Texas with events in the spring and fall. Accommodations, transportation, daytime activities, dinners and concerts will be provided and make-up packages available for purchase. Included amenities are dependent on the package chosen. For more information on the
Texas Dance Hall Tour, visit www.texasdancehalltour.com.
About
Texas Dance Hall Preservation
Texas Dance Hall Preservation is committed to saving historic
Texas dance halls and the authentic music and culture that is still found in them. The organization provides financial, technical or organizational assistance for the restoration, rehabilitation and preservation of historic dance halls. Additionally, the organization keeps an inventory of all traditional dance halls in Texas, including those that have been lost. To learn more about
Texas Dance Hall Preservation, visit www.texasdancehall.org.
