Eaton & Sanders reunite for Neon Fest performance in Pocatello
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POCATELLO – Local music legends Eaton & Sanders will once again share the stage in their hometown this Saturday, reuniting for a special performance at Neon Fest. But this time, Mike Sanders returns not as part of the main act, but as a special guest to his longtime musical partner, Steve Eaton.
The performance is part of the two-day Neon Fest celebration at Lookout Point, organized by Randy Dixon, chair of the Relight the Night committee under Historic Downtown Pocatello Inc. The festival celebrates Pocatello’s historic neon signs and will conclude with the relighting of the iconic Idaho Motel sign.
For a detailed schedule of the Neon Fest events, click here.
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Eaton and Sanders, who have since moved away to the Boise area, are arguably the Gate City’s most beloved musical duo. The two recorded CDs together and were fixtures on the local music scene through the late 1970s and early 1990s, especially popular at the Sandpiper in Pocatello.
While they are great together, both artists have enjoyed long and impressive careers on their own. Eaton is a renowned musician and songwriter whose work has been recorded by The Carpenters and Art Garfunkel. Sanders — also known for his singing and songwriting career—is well known for his distinctive voice work in local radio and TV ads, as well as community events.
The duo’s last major reunion occurred in December 2018 at the “You Never Know” concert at the Mountain View Event Center in Pocatello. Now, nearly six years later, they’ll once again share the spotlight, though in a slightly different way.
Sanders, who suffered vocal damage during a severe case of COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic, no longer performs at full strength.
“At the time, I thought, ‘I’ve had a great career. I’m just happy to still be vertical,” he said.
Encouraged by Eaton, Sanders agreed to take the stage again.
“The people of Pocatello don’t expect you to be anything but who you are,” Eaton told him. Together, they plan to perform a few of their original songs and some rock ’n’ roll favorites.
While Sanders says his voice isn’t what it used to be, it has improved enough for him to gain the confidence to sing a few songs for the hometown crowd.
Both musicians emphasized the importance of participating in the Neon Fest celebration, crediting their friend Randy Dixon for his longtime work with Relight the Night and his dedication to preserving Pocatello’s history.
“I love Pocatello. It’s my hometown, and this is a fantastic event,” Eaton said. He also expressed excitement about playing at Lookout Point for the first time.
The duo’s return is more than just a performance to them—it’s a homecoming. Even though the longtime friends both live close to each other, they rarely get together to sing anymore. They are both looking forward to seeing old friends and being on stage together once again.
“It doesn’t have to be perfect,” Sanders said. “It just has to be us.”
