The angelic voice of Julee Cruise and David Lynch and Mark Frost’s wonderful and strange show go hand in hand. When someone mentions my favorite television series, I can’t help but hear her voice backed by Angelo Badalamenti’s music. In honor of the show’s 35th Anniversary, Twin Peaks Blog is featuring a “Julee in June” take over throughout June 2025. During the next 30 days, you’ll find in-depth stories, deep dives into her music, rarely seen photos, ephemera and more from this beloved singer. I’ve enlisted the help of several Twin Peaks fans who have graciously opened their archives to pay tribute to the voice of love. Here are highlights of what you can expect.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ‘JULEE IN JUNE’ TAKE OVER OF TWIN PEAKS BLOG
In anticipation of the official release of “Always Music in the Air: The Sounds of Twin Peaks,” author Scott Ryan shares his top five Julee Cruise songs. His new book examines all the “music in the air” from Cruise’s 1989 release Floating into the Night, all Twin Peaks soundtracks, the 2011 “Twin Peaks Archive” online releases, and music from Twin Peaks: The Return in 2017. Scott’s book debuts nationwide on June 3 – it’s a must read for any fan of Julee’s music.
My favorite Julee Cruise song is “Questions in a World of Blue” from David Lynch’s masterpiece, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. I’ll take a closer look at this 7-inch single released only to radio stations in Spain in 1992.
I’ll also examine her original album releases such as 1989’s Floating into the Night and 1993’s The Voice of Love. These deep dives will include looks at recent reissues of these classic albums like this poster from the Sacred Bones Society release of Floating.
Along the way, you’ll see early 1990s advertisements like this one for Cruise’s “Falling” from “Radio and Records” on Oct. 12, 1990.
Other stories will include interviews with Julee paired with rarely seen images. This black and white portrait was taken Jillian Edelstein for the United Kingdom’s “The Daily Telegraph” on Jan. 26, 1991.
There will be details how photographer E.J. Carr was hired by David Lynch to take this angelic publicity image in 1993.
On June 9, the third anniversary of Julee’s passing, long-time Twin Peaks fan Dugpa has wrote an incredible story sharing his experience as a volunteer during the Twin Peaks Festival in 2002. It started as a small volunteer project – designing a flyer and helping with the Festival’s website – that slowly turned into something unexpectedly magical in Snoqualmie Valley.
You won’t want to miss this heartfelt, first-hand account of Julee’s live performance at the North Bend Theatre, complete with rare photos and recollections from fellow fans.
Two new authors, Mary Hütter and Anita Rehn, will also join Twin Peaks Blog with stories about their encounters with Julee during the 2016 Twin Peaks Festival in Washington. Their article will include even more photos from what would become Julee’s final performance at the North Bend Theatre..
More than 35 years later, Julee’s music continues serving as the soundtrack to my life. I’m not alone when I say her voice has been there in good times and bad. Her music has transported many, including me, to a mysterious world – one filled with love and dreams, hopes and fears.
I invite you to follow along the “Julee in June” take over, and look forward to hearing your memories of how her music has touched your life.
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Steven, what a great idea. I look forward to enjoying the coverage. I have a Julee Cruise story to share.
In 2002, I was 23-years old and working as a steward in the cruise industry. Not on big ships, though, these were small “expedition” ships, and for most of that year, I was working on the Nantucket Clipper, which carried 98 passengers max. In the fall, the Nanny sailed an itinerary up and down the Hudson River, a “Fall on the Hudson” themed cruise, 7-days roundtrip out of NYC. We docked in Chelsea Piers, and Saturday was “turnaround day,” when one set of passengers left the ship at the end of their cruise and a new set got onboard. Well, Saturday, September 14, 2002 – that’s the day I got to see Julee Cruise in concert.
I don’t know how I found out about the show. Julee had recently released her album “The Art of Being a Girl,” and she played two shows at Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette Street that night; 7:30pm and 9:30pm. I must have picked up the NY Times or the Village Voice and seen the show listed (no smart phones then, of course). I’ve only been able to find two pieces of evidence that the shows even happened:
https://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/13/movies/pop-and-jazz-guide-855375.html (This long article of scheduled concerts and shows in NYC includes Julee’s, as “highly recommended” no less.)
http://www.lynchnet.com/archives/aug2002.html (A brief mention here.)
As a steward on a cruise ship, I would have been VERY busy. We worked every day, and most stewards would be serving dinner onboard while Julee was performing. I lucked out though – on turnaround days, one steward worked straight through from 7am to 6pm, in the linen room, and that day, that was me. Somehow I glanced at a paper someone must have brought on board that day or the night before (we arrived back in NYC on Friday evenings, which meant the crew got to party in NYC that night – good times!) and planned to hustle to Joe’s Pub as soon as I got off to see if I could get in. The catch: the ship was departing at 10:30pm, which meant I HAD to be onboard by 10pm. I could only catch the 7:30 show.
I remember heading to Joe’s Pub after I finished work…I’m sure I walked the 2 miles and probably got there around 7pm. I remember asking the doorman about buying a ticket for the 7:30 show…and it was sold out! I don’t remember exactly how things went down next, but I’m pretty sure he told me there were still tickets for the 9:30 show. I gave him my sob story – literally, my ship is leaving at 10 and I have to be onboard. I doubt I expected anything from him, I was just sharing my situation…and next thing I knew, he was removing the barrier rope blocking the door and gesturing me to slip inside! I don’t think I paid to get in. He just did me a solid, and I’m so grateful to this day.
I have to admit, I don’t remember a lot of details. Joe’s Pub is still there, and it’s a very intimate, supper-club kind of space. I doubt I had a seat…I’m pretty sure I stood against the wall over to the side. And I don’t remember the setlist. It would have been heavy on new material, certainly. But I DO remember Falling – a hush falling over the crowd, and Julee breaking our hearts. I’m so lucky to have been there.
It’d be great if anyone else has any evidence of this show or maybe even was there! Thanks for such an amazing website and for focusing on Julee this month.
Looking forward to it! June is the perfect time to go on a See Cruise!
My intimate concert experience of a lifetime was in 1993 at a little dinner theatre type place in Santa Monica. Jane Siberry at her most amazing. I think she and Julee had a lot in common. My favorite JC song is “Mysteries of Love” from Blue Velvet.
BTW, that intimate setting was destroyed two months later by the Northridge earthquake (which I experienced in Hollywood CA).
Miss you Julee! RIP