The Cicadas

Acclaimed singer/songwriter Rodney Crowell assembled the country-rock band the Cicadas as a side project alongside his regular associates Vince Santoro, Michael Rhodes and Steuart Smith. The seeds were planted in 1986 during a solo tour when Crowell brought Santoro aboard as drummer; Santoro gradually added one or two vocal spots each night, and although Crowell remained a solo act the notion of a shared band lingered. Bassist Rhodes and guitarist Smith came aboard shortly afterward, yet the four musicians continued their frequent collaborations without committing to the Cicadas until 1996. The self-titled debut appeared the following year.