Eaton, Sanders and friends to perform Dec. 21 concert at Stephens Center

Musicians Steve Eaton and Mike Sanders and friends, with special guest Rocky Watson, will perform a concert at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21 in the Idaho State University Joseph C. and Cheryl H. Jensen Grand Concert Hall.

The Jensen Hall is located in the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center on the ISU Pocatello campus. Tickets go on sale Nov. 26 at 10 a.m. Tickets at $20 for the main level and $15 for the upper level are available by calling the Stephen's Performing Arts Center's Box Office at 282- 3595. They can be purchased online at www.isu.edu/tickets. Box Office hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Eaton and Sanders are mainstays of the Pocatello music scene. They played together frequently at the Sandpiper and other local music venues until about a decade ago when Eaton moved to Boise. The duo also produced two albums.

Watson is a well-known country musician from Pocatello who has performed at the Pocatello River Festival and the “Biggest Show in Idaho” Independence Day Celebration held annually in Pocatello, as well as a variety other venues including performances in Nashville.

The show will open with a set by Watson and will be followed by a set featuring Eaton and Sanders. There’s a good chance all three musicians will play some songs together, too, and Eaton and Sanders will be joined on some songs by Phil Garonzik. Garonzik is an accomplished saxophone and flute player who played with Eaton in their former band Fat Chance.

“Mike and I will be playing the stuff we’ve been playing together, including a few original songs,” said Eaton, who has written hit songs for The Carpenters, Art Garfunkel, Lee Greenwood and others. “We’ll play the stuff Eaton and Sanders are known for, everything from old standards and rock-and-roll, to folk music. Rocky and I have also known each other for years and we’ll be playing some songs we’ve written together.”

Eaton said the musicians will play a few Christmas songs, but “it won’t be a Christmas show.”

“We’ve really never done a big concert in Pocatello,” noted Sanders, who has been a prominent media voice, musician and businessman in Pocatello since moving here in 1978. “This will be really huge for us. It has been a long time since Steve and I have gotten together and it has been ages since we’ve done a concert. And, I’m just really excited to be performing a concert in the Stephens Center. It is an incredible venue.”

Watson’s contribution will be a country twist to the concert.

“I’m country, country-rock, and Eaton and Sanders have their own specialty, so it should be quite a concert featuring a variety of music,” Watson said. “We’ve all been friends for years, and putting us all together should be a really good show.”

For more information on Watson’s music, visit www.rockywatson.com; for more information on Eaton’s music, visit www.steveeaton.net.