Atlanta Rhythm Section biography
The Atlanta Rhythm Section, sometimes abbreviated ARS, is an American southern rock band. In 1970 former members of the Candymen and the Classics IV joined together and became the session band for the newly opened Studio One in Doraville, Georgia.
1970-1976: Early career
The story of the Atlanta Rhythm Section began in Doraville, Georgia, a small town northeast of Atlanta, in 1970. Local Atlanta engineer Rodney Mills built a new studio in Doraville with the support of music publisher Bill Lowery, producer/songwriter/manager Buddy Buie, and songwriter/guitarist J. R. Cobb. The studio was dubbed Studio One and would become one of the preeminent studios in the Atlanta area. Over the years, artists who recorded there included Starbuck, Al Kooper, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Joe South, Bonnie Bramlett, Dickey Betts, B.J. Thomas, .38 Special, Lou Christie and Billy Joe Royal.
The Atlanta Rhythm Section members originally came together as the house band at Studio One. Buie recruited three musicians he had worked with previously in the Candymen (a group that had backed Roy Orbison), singer Rodney Justo, keyboardist Dean Daughtry and drummer Robert Nix. Buie, Cobb, Nix and Daughtry had been part of the group the Classics IV - remembered for such hits as "Spooky", "Stormy" and "Traces". Two talented local session players also joined in - guitarist Barry Bailey and bassist Paul Goddard. These musicians played on a number of other artists' records and the decision was made to make an album of their own in 1971.
Buie wrote for, produced and managed the group, now called Atlanta Rhythm Section (or ARS), from the start. Buie, Daughtry and Nix wrote many of the songs. The Rhythm Section would play on albums by other bands 3 to 4 days a week and then work on their own songs the rest of the time. They eventually compiled enough material for an album. A demo of some of these songs landed them a two record deal with MCA/Decca.
The ten songs that made up ARS's self-titled debut album were recorded at Studio One in Doraville, GA in November 1971. The album was released in early 1972 and generated some critical interest for the quality of the songs and musicianship. But there was also some questioning of the idea of a rock band made up of a group of studio musicians who had not "paid their dues" on the road. The album did not produce any hit songs and the group continued to play on other records made at Studio One.
It was during the recording of the first album that Ronnie Hammond came to Studio One as an assistant engineer for Rodney Mills. He was skilled on multiple instruments and most importantly, had a great singing voice. When singer Rodney Justo decided to leave the group later in 1972 to pursue a solo career, Hammond became the new lead singer. This grouping would go on to make the next six ARS albums together. In 1972 the group tried to broaden their approach as they began work on their second album for MCA/Decca. They kept working hard, spending a lot of time in the studio. For a time, Hammond and Daughtry even lived upstairs above Studio One. It was here that ARS first crossed paths with Lynyrd Skynyrd, who rolled in one night to work on their first album. Skynyrd's producer, Al Kooper, worked with Skynyrd at Studio One during the day while ARS would come in and work at night.
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