Sheena Easton has spent a lifetime hearing her songs arrive before she does.
A few notes of “Morning Train (9 to 5)” or “For Your Eyes Only” can still flip a switch in a room — and Easton says the best part is watching what those songs mean to the people hearing them live, right in front of her.
Easton brings that catalog to the stage, and the performer’s ease she’s earned over decades, on Friday, March 20, at 7 p.m., when her current tour stops at Owens Auditorium at Bradshaw Performing Arts Center in Pinehurst.
In a recent interview from Las Vegas, Easton was thoughtful, funny, and refreshingly direct about what keeps her on the road. She doesn’t romanticize the business, and she doesn’t pretend longevity is guaranteed. If anything, she said, she’s still surprised she’s been able to keep doing it.
“What I am very surprised about all the time — and have been for the last 50 years — is the fact that I continue to work in this business,” Easton said. “When you first start out, you’re not sure you’re going to get your second gig or your third gig… So every time I would make another milestone or a step forward, it always surprised me.”
She attributes that staying power to a combination of work, timing, and — most importantly — fans who didn’t drift away when her life changed. At the height of pop stardom, she made a choice many artists struggle with: she stepped back from the constant album-tour cycle to build stability and raise her children.
“I wanted to take a step back to slow my life down and make it more stable so that I could raise my kids,” she said. “I was so blessed that my fans stayed with me and that whenever they see that I’m coming to town, they come to the shows and they support me.”
That loyalty is part of why Easton’s relationship with her biggest hits has evolved. Like many artists, she admitted she went through phases — the early excitement, the later urge to focus on new material, and eventually a deeper appreciation for what the “old songs” do for the audience.
“I went through different stages of my relationship with all of my hits,” she said. “At first you’re so excited. And then you move on… and you get a little bit irritated, that, ‘Ah, I gotta do all the old stuff. I just wanna do the new stuff.’ But as the years go by… I look into the audience and I see the faces… and I see them react.”
She described watching couples grab hands when “their song” comes on — whether it’s a chart-topping hit or a deeper cut tied to a personal memory.
“That makes me feel more connected to the song when I see how they’re connected,” she said. “And that can’t help but make you feel happy. You’d have to be made of stone if you don’t see someone react like that whenever you hear a few notes of music.”
For audiences in Pinehurst, Easton’s show is built around that kind of connection — not spectacle. She said she wants people leaving the theater feeling like they experienced something they couldn’t get at home.
“I’ve been to enough shows where you go in, and there’s lots of lights and bells and whistles… but you almost kind of feel like, ‘Oh, I could have just played the stuff in the car,’” she said. “I don’t want that to be the case. I like to connect directly with the audience.”
Her approach is also unapologetically live. Easton emphasized that what audiences hear is real — not polished into perfection after the fact.
“I don’t auto-tune when I sing,” she said. “When I’m on stage live, what you hear is what you get. If I’ve got a cold, you can hear I’ve got a cold… There’s no lip sync. I just do it.”
That honesty is part of what she loves about performing now. She compared it to a thrill: stepping onto a stage without a safety net.
“It’s like tightrope walking without a net underneath you,” she said. “So that makes it exciting and fun.”
Easton’s resume includes Broadway and the West End, work with symphonies and countless concerts, and she says she’s learned that live performance is where she feels most comfortable — even if it took years to get there.
“When I finally realized that I could go out there and do shows and it had nothing to do with whether or not I’d just put out a single on the radio — that was it for me,” she said. “That was me finally home. I could relax, just be me… I wish I had learned to divorce the expectations of others much earlier.”
Of course, Easton’s songs aren’t just pop memories — they’re also part of film history. Her James Bond theme, “For Your Eyes Only,” remains one of the franchise’s most iconic musical moments, and she said being chosen so early in her career broadened her reach worldwide.
“When the James Bond song came out, that reached even more places,” she said. “It introduced me to a whole new range of people… Getting chosen so early… to be part of that club, so to speak — that was a surreal moment for me at the time.”
If there’s a through-line in Easton’s career, it’s range: the pristine pop of “Morning Train,” the elegance of Bond, the edge of “Strut” and “Sugar Walls,” and collaborations that still spark curiosity. Asked about working with Prince, Easton described an experience that cuts against the myth of constant intensity.
“Yes, he was a genius,” she said, “but when I worked with him… loose and relaxed. He would tease me and we would laugh all the time… A lot of people don’t know that about Prince. He had a great sense of humor.”
Easton said her Pinehurst performance will be a night centered on musicianship and memory — with major hits included, and a band she clearly admires.
“My band is awesome,” she said. “They’re worth coming to see if not coming to see me.”
And she delivered one last message to anyone thinking about sitting this one out — a playful warning wrapped in an invitation.
“Don’t think it’s so dark that I can’t see,” Easton joked. “When you roll your eyes, I’m watching y’all.”
Then she summed up what she hopes the evening becomes: a shared walk through the soundtrack of people’s lives, including the songs that helped them celebrate — and the ones that helped them recover.
Says BPAC’s Morgan Sills, “As Executive Director, having Sheena Easton onstage in Owens Auditorium is another milestone in the realization of our institutional goal to consistently present major music legends–like Sheena, like Shaun Cassidy earlier this season, like Jimmy Webb, The Gatlin Brothers, and Charo from past seasons I’ve booked. BPAC is the only area venue that regularly brings this level of headline talent.”
“Just come and have a great time,” she said. “Take a walk through your memories with me.”
Sheena Easton performs Friday, March 20, at 7 p.m. at Owens Auditorium at Bradshaw Performing Arts Center in Pinehurst. Tickets are on sale now at ticketmesandhills.com.
A Cultural Beacon in the Sandhills
Since its dedication in 2019, the Bradshaw Performing Arts Center has evolved into more than just the cultural anchor of Pinehurst, it has become one of the most vital and entertainment and event destinations in the region. Nestled amid the longleaf pines on the campus of Sandhills Community College, BPAC welcomes over 80,000 visitors annually to its lush, resort-town surroundings.
A four-time winner of Best of the Pines’ “Best Performing Arts Venue” since the appointment of NYC producer/director Morgan Sills as Executive Director in 2022, BPAC boasts five distinctive venues—three indoor and two outdoor, this multifaceted complex plays host to more than 200 events a year. Its programming spans the spectrum: from world-class music and theatrical productions to dance, comedy, lectures, and visual art exhibitions.
For more information, visit www.SandhillsBPAC.com.
Tickets and Information
Tickets for all Bradshaw Performing Arts Center events are available exclusively through TicketMeSandhills.com, the official ticketing platform for BPAC. Audiences are encouraged to purchase early, as performances frequently sell out. The site provides a seamless and secure experience for browsing upcoming shows, selecting seats, and managing your orders, all with local support and no hidden fees.
Concessions: Wine, beer, soda, and snacks are available. All concession purchases may be enjoyed in the theater; outside food and drinks are not permitted.
Reserved Seating: For the Mainstage, Comedy, and Tribute Series, choose from a variety of price points and seat locations to find the experience that’s right for you. The Family Fun Series offers General Admission seating, making it easy for everyone to enjoy a fun, relaxed experience together.
Parking and Timing:
● Free Parking: Ample parking is available in front of the theater and throughout the Sandhills Community College campus.
● Lobby Doors and Box Office: Open one hour before showtime.
● Theater Doors: Open for seating approximately 30 minutes before showtime.
At BPAC, memorable experiences aren’t the exception—they’re the standard. With thoughtful programming across music, theater, comedy, and more, this Moore County landmark offers consistently engaging performances that stay with you long after the house lights come up.
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Contributed article/photo.
