Atlanta Rhythm Section -

The Atlanta Rhythm Section was an American southern-rock boogie band that released two 1972–73 albums on Decca/MCA, followed by seven albums and a live disc between 1974 and 1980 on Polydor. Their popularity peaked with the 1977–78 albums A Rock and Roll Alternative and Champagne Jam and the hits “So Into You” and “Imaginary Lover.”

Members: Dean Daughtry (keyboards, vocals), Barry Bailey (guitar, 1971-2006), Paul Goddard (bass, 1971-83, 2011-14), Robert Nix (drums, 1971-78), Rodney Justo (lead vocals, 1971-72, 1983, 2011-present), J.R. Cobb (guitar, 1972-86), Ronnie Hammond (lead vocals, 1972-83, 1988-2001), Roy Yeager (drums, 1978-83), Tommy Stribling (bass, 1983-88), Keith Hamrick (drums, percussion, 1983-87), Andy Anderson (lead vocals, 1983-85, 1986-87, 2001-2011), Danny Biget (drums, 1983-84), Jeff Logan (lead vocals, 1985), Steve Stone (guitar, vocals, 1986-present), Sean Burke (drums, 1987-95), Shaun Williamson (lead vocals, 1987-88)

Background

The Atlanta Rhythm Section had its roots in The Candymen, a pop-psych quintet that included singer Rodney Justo, drummer Robert Nix, and keyboardist Dean Daughtry. They released two albums on ABC in 1967/68 and charted with “Georgia Pines” and “Ways.” When Floridian balladeers Classix IV lost their keyboardist after charting with “Spooky,” Daughtry joined and played on their 1968/69 hits “Stormy” and “Traces.”

In the spring of 1970, Justo and Nix reteamed with Daughtry at the newly opened Studio One in Doraville, Georgia, where they formed a session band with Classix IV guitarist James B. Cobb. Assorted members played on numerous albums over the next two years, including titles by country rocker Richard Supa and Christian singer Mylon LeFevre. Daughtry briefly joined LeFevre’s mononymic five-piece Mylon, which also featured guitarist Barry Bailey.

In 1971, Bailey and Daughtry, along with Cobb, Nix, and bassist Paul Goddard, played on the Paramount Records release Supa’s Jamboree. By the time of its 1972 followup, Homespun, Supa’s backing band was identified collectively as the Atlanta Rhythm Section, “Courtesy of Decca Records,” which signed the band and issued their self-titled debut album that same year.

Atlanta Rhythm Section

The Atlanta Rhythm Section released their self-titled debut album in January 1972 on Decca.

The album presents the newly assembled Doraville sextet in a firm studio-setting with mid-tempo electric numbers shaped by Barry Bailey’s tightly picked patterns, Dean Daughtry’s electric piano voicings, Paul Goddard’s low-end presence, Robert Nix’s brisk snare figures, and Rodney Justo’s clear, forward vocal tone.

Primary songwriter Robert Nix co-wrote seven songs with keyboardist Dean Daughtry and producer Buddy Buie. Guitarist Barry Bailey co-wrote two numbers with Buie and bassist Paul Goddard, while Nix and Buie co-wrote one further track. They also include “Forty Days and Forty Nights,” written by Randall Bramblett, Davis Causey, and Bob Jones.

Select songs move between steady, clipped rhythms and freer, arcing guitar phrases. “Love Me Just a Little (Sometime)” unfolds over patient pacing with extended guitar figures and sustained keyboard colors. “All in Your Mind” moves with sharper drum accents and guitar patterns that cut brisk contours against the vocal line. “Earnestine” breaks to a shorter structure with rapid instrumental turns, while “Another Man’s Woman (It’s So Hard)” opens the second side with firmer rhythmic insistence and stretched electric phrases. “Can’t Stand It No More” centers on Justo’s higher-register projection over guitar lines that tighten and release in short bursts.

A1. “Love Me Just a Little (Sometime)” (6:05)
A2. “Baby No Lie” (3:51)
A3. “All in Your Mind” (3:16)
A4. “Earnestine” (2:33)
A5. “Forty Days and Forty Nights” (4:21)
A6. “Another Man’s Woman (It’s So Hard)” (4:46)

B1. “Days of Our Lives” (3:12)
B2. “Yours and Mine” (2:39)
B3. “Can’t Stand It No More” (4:02)
B4. “One More Problem” (3:08)

Sessions occurred in 1971 at Studio One in Doraville with producer Buddy Buie and engineer Rodney Mills.

Back Up Against the Wall

The Atlanta Rhythm Section released their second album, Back Up Against the Wall, in February 1973 on MCA.

The album introduces new vocalist Ronnie Hammond, whose bright, rounded delivery pairs with J.R. Cobb’s added guitar presence across a tighter set of mid-tempo electric songs shaped by Barry Bailey’s clipped phrases, Dean Daughtry’s concise keyboard lines, and Robert Nix’s dry, forward drum sound.

Buie and Cobb co-wrote four songs, while Nix co-wrote four others with Daughtry and Hammond. They also cover Joe South (“Redneck”), Otis Blackwell (“A Livin’ Lovin’ Wreck”), and Randall Bramblett (“Superman”). Cobb’s expanded guitar role factors into multiple co-writes, including the title track and the album’s opening and closing numbers, while Hammond co-writes two songs in his first appearance as lead singer.

“Wrong” opens with brisk pacing and sharp electric accents as Cobb’s lines cut fast contours through the chorus. “Cold Turkey, Tenn.” moves at a steadier pulse built on clipped chord figures and a refrain that rises in short arcs. “Will I Live On?” drops to slower pacing with a more open arrangement around Hammond’s voice. “A Livin’ Lovin’ Wreck” centers on pushing low-end motion with harmonica interjections in the midrange. “Superman” moves with a lighter rhythmic step and shaped vocal layers in the refrain. “Conversation” pares back to acoustic textures and soft dynamic shifts, while “Back Up Against the Wall” drives on tightened rhythmic force with fast electric runs.

A1. “Wrong” (2:44)
A2. “Cold Turkey, Tenn.” (3:18)
A3. “Will I Live On?” (2:52)
A4. “A Livin’ Lovin’ Wreck” (3:08) — originated as a 1960s side by Otis Blackwell, written and first recorded by Blackwell.
A5. “Superman” (3:26) — written by Randall Bramblett; first recorded by Bramblett in the early 1970s.

A6. “What You Gonna Do About It?” (3:00)
A7. “Conversation” (3:29)
A8. “Redneck” (3:50) — first recorded by Joe South in 1970 on Don’t It Make You Want to Go Home?.
A9. “Make Me Believe It” (3:14)
A10. “Back Up Against the Wall” (3:23)
A11. “It Must Be Love” (4:07)

Sessions occurred in late 1972 at Studio One in Doraville with producer Buddy Buie and engineers Bobby Langford and Rodney Mills; Mills handled the final mix.

Record label promoted Back Up Against the Wall with the title track (b/w “It Must Be Done”) and later “Conversation” (b/w “Cold Turkey, Tenn.”).

Third Annual Pipe Dream

The Atlanta Rhythm Section released their third album, Third Annual Pipe Dream, in August 1974 on Polydor.

The album refines their studio-centered sound with tighter interplay between Barry Bailey’s clipped electric leads, J.R. Cobb’s supporting lines, Dean Daughtry’s keyboard voicings, and Ronnie Hammond’s steady, centered phrasing. It marks their first sustained run of radio activity with material shaped around concise structures and sharper rhythmic pacing.

Producer Buddy Buie wrote six songs with drummer Robert Nix and guitarist Barry Bailey. Vocalist Ronnie Hammond and bassist Paul Goddard co-wrote one track, while Cobb co-wrote two with Buie and Nix. They also cover Grant Green (“Blues in Maude’s Flat”) and John Fristoe (“Join the Race”).

Songs move between brisk, front-loaded pieces and calmer, suspended passages. “Doraville” opens with firm rhythm accents and bright, upper-register guitar lines. “Jesus Hearted People” sets Hammond against slow-turn keyboard phrases and patient bass movement. “Close the Door” tightens around clipped drum figures with guitar patterns that trace narrow contours across the verses. “Blues in Maude’s Flat” stretches into a mid-tempo instrumental with Bailey’s lines bending through extended intervals. “Join the Race” uses rotating figures and short runs that push and retract against the beat. “Angel (What in the World’s Come Over Us)” unfolds at a lower pace with longer-held notes and gradual dynamic lifts. “The War Is Over” contracts into a short, emphatic sequence built on sharp guitar punctuation.

A1. “Doraville” (3:28)
A2. “Jesus Hearted People” (3:48)
A3. “Close the Door” (3:22)
A4. “Blues in Maude’s Flat” (3:47) — originally recorded by guitarist Grant Green as a 1964 Blue Note instrumental
A5. “Join the Race” (3:57) — written by John Fristoe

B1. “Angel (What in the World’s Come Over Us)” (5:10)
B2. “Get Your Head Out of Your Heart” (2:28)
B3. “The War Is Over” (2:00)
B4. “Help Yourself” (2:54)
B5. “Who You Gonna Run To” (3:18)

Sessions occurred in early 1974 at Studio One in Doraville with producer Buddy Buie and engineer Rodney Mills.

Polydor promoted Third Annual Pipe Dream with “Doraville,” which reached No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Angel (What in the World’s Come Over Us)” followed in 1975 and reached No. 79.

Dog Days

The Atlanta Rhythm Section released their fourth album, Dog Days, in August 1975 on Polydor.

Dog Days presents a warmer, softer electric sound with mid-tempo pacing, open chord figures, and longer instrumental stretches that highlight Barry Bailey’s lead phrasing and J.R. Cobb’s rhythm accents under Ronnie Hammond’s rounded vocal lines.

Producer Buddy Buie co-wrote seven songs with drummer Robert Nix and keyboardist Dean Daughtry. Bailey co-wrote two tracks with Buie and Nix, and Cobb contributes one song on his own. Daughtry, Nix, and Bailey appear across all primary co-writes, while Bob McRee factors on one track.

Songs alternate between extended electric passages and slower, voice-centered pieces. “Boogie Smoogie” runs on a steady, pushed rhythm with long instrumental exchanges where Bailey and Cobb trade clipped and bending lines. “Silent Treatment” uses a similar dynamic, building from patient pacing into tightened dual-guitar interplay. “Cuban Crisis” moves at a lighter step with short, bright turns in the chorus. “All Night Rain” slows to a gentler pulse around Hammond’s sustained phrasing and quieter instrumental motion. “Dog Days” moves on a mid-level pace with rising chord shapes across the refrain, while “Crazy” and “It Just Ain’t Your Moon” take simpler, moderate pacing with shorter instrumental breaks.

A1. “Crazy” (3:07)
A2. “Boogie Smoogie” (7:57)
A3. “Cuban Crisis” (3:50)
A4. “It Just Ain’t Your Moon” (4:50)

B1. “Dog Days” (3:35)
B2. “Bless My Soul” (4:00) — written by J.R. Cobb
B3. “Silent Treatment” (5:15)
B4. “All Night Rain” (3:10)

Sessions occurred in 1975 at Studio One in Doraville with producer Buddy Buie and engineer Rodney Mills.

Polydor promoted Dog Days with the title track, which reached No. 49 in Canada and No. 43 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

Red Tape

The Atlanta Rhythm Section released their fifth album, Red Tape, in April 1976 on Polydor.

Red Tape tightens their electric sound with brisker pacing, clipped rhythm parts, and more forward dual-guitar lines, set around Ronnie Hammond’s rounded vocal tone and Dean Daughtry’s steady keyboard foundations.

Producer Buddy Buie co-wrote seven songs with drummer Robert Nix. Guitarist J.R. Cobb co-wrote four tracks with Buie and Nix, and Barry Bailey co-wrote two titles. Hammond co-wrote one track, and Wills appears on the opener. No covers appear on the album.

The shorter first side moves between compact mid-tempo pieces and quick bursts built from tight riff figures. “Jukin’” opens with an upbeat pattern and rounded vocal refrains. “Shanghied” pushes a faster pace with brief, flicking guitar breaks, while “Police! Police!” centers on clipped rhythmic motion with close vocal stacking. “Oh What a Feeling” uses a knotty, stop-start sequence with angular guitar lines and sharper vocal contours. The second side extends the instrumental focus: “Free Spirit” moves on a steady, rising pattern, and “Another Man’s Woman” stretches into a long-form sequence with gradual increases in intensity, wide-spaced guitar figures, and an extended bass spotlight near the midpoint.

A1. “Jukin’” (3:43)
A2. “Mixed Emotions” (3:20)
A3. “Shanghied” (2:14)
A4. “Police! Police!” (3:11)
A5. “Beautiful Dreamers” (3:26)

B1. “Oh What a Feeling” (2:39)
B2. “Free Spirit” (3:35)
B3. “Another Man’s Woman” (9:47)

Sessions occurred at Studio One in Doraville with producer Buddy Buie and engineer Rodney Mills.

A Rock and Roll Alternative

The Atlanta Rhythm Section released their sixth album, A Rock and Roll Alternative, in December 1976 on Polydor.

The album presents a smoother electric sound with steady, mid-tempo pacing, rounded vocal lines, and bright keyboard textures set against compact rhythm parts and clipped, rising guitar figures.

Producer Buddy Buie wrote six songs with drummer Robert Nix. Keyboardist Dean Daughtry co-wrote three tracks, and guitarist J.R. Cobb co-wrote two titles. The album contains one cover: Blind Joe Reynolds’ “Outside Woman Blues,” popularized in 1967 by Cream.

The songs fall into two main shapes: concise mid-tempo pieces with rising refrains, and longer tracks that build across extended instrumental passages. “Sky High” opens with a firm pace and ascending electric figures that widen into a long, intensifying close. “Hitch-Hikers’ Hero” moves on an easy pulse under light guitar patterns. “Don’t Miss the Message” uses a brisker rhythm with tightening vocal lines and a sharp-turn solo sequence. “Georgia Rhythm” settles into a patient, mid-level pace with airy refrains. “So in to You” centers on a slow, drawn-out pattern with open electric piano voicings and soft-contoured vocal phrasing. Their reading of “Outside Woman Blues” turns heavier, moving on a hardened rhythm push with longer stretches for dual-guitar emphasis. “Everybody Gotta Go” moves with a firmer step under repeating vocal phrases, while “Neon Nites” uses a lighter, after-hours lilt with angled electric lines across the chorus.

A1. “Sky High” (5:17)
A2. “Hitch-Hikers’ Hero” (3:38)
A3. “Don’t Miss the Message” (3:27)
A4. “Georgia Rhythm” (4:52)

B1. “So in to You” (4:20)
B2. “Outside Woman Blues” (4:53) — originated as a 1929 side by Blind Joe Reynolds and later popularized by Cream, whose 1967 recording brought the song wider attention
B3. “Everybody Gotta Go” (4:10)
B4. “Neon Nites” (3:57)

Sessions occurred in 1976 at Studio One in Doraville with producer Buddy Buie and engineer Rodney Mills.

Polydor led with “So in to You” (b/w “Everybody Gotta Go”), which reached No. 7 on the Hot 100 and No. 11 on the Adult Contemporary chart. “Georgia Rhythm” (b/w “Hitch-Hikers’ Hero”) followed and reached No. 68. “Neon Nites” appeared third (b/w “Don’t Miss the Message”) and reached No. 42.

Champagne Jam

The Atlanta Rhythm Section released their seventh album, Champagne Jam, in January 1978 on Polydor.

The album presents a brighter, more streamlined electric sound with tightened rhythm parts, buoyant mid-tempo pacing, and longer, open-chord passages shaped around Ronnie Hammond’s rounded vocal tone, Barry Bailey’s rising lead figures, J.R. Cobb’s supporting lines, and Dean Daughtry’s warm keyboard voicings.

Producer Buddy Buie wrote five songs with drummer Robert Nix and keyboardist Dean Daughtry. Bailey co-wrote three tracks, and Cobb co-wrote two.

The sequence moves between brisk, riff-driven pieces and smoother, keyboard-centered tracks. “Large Time” opens with a fast, clipped pattern and sharp-turn guitar lines that rise and contract through the verses. “I’m Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight” settles into an easy, steady pace with wide, sustained keyboard voicings and long, flowing vocal contours. “Normal Love” moves slowly with quieter piano support and patient, drawn-out phrasing. “Champagne Jam” brings a quicker step with bright, upper-register guitar lines and stacked vocal refrains. “Imaginary Lover” unfolds at a slower pace with soft electric piano textures, extended vocal lines, and a gradual dynamic lift across the close. “The Ballad of Lois Malone” builds on a mid-tempo rhythm push with widening chords, while “The Great Escape” long-forms through rising instrumental passages and tightening dual-guitar motion. “Evileen” leans on a crisp, syncopated rhythm and angled keyboard accents.

A1. “Large Time” (2:55)
A2. “I’m Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight” (4:06)
A3. “Normal Love” (3:22)
A4. “Champagne Jam” (4:31)

B1. “Imaginary Lover” (5:05)
B2. “The Ballad of Lois Malone” (4:30)
B3. “The Great Escape” (4:47)
B4. “Evileen” (3:32)

Sessions occurred in 1977 at Studio One in Doraville with producer Buddy Buie and engineer Rodney Mills.

Polydor led with “Imaginary Lover” (b/w “Silent Treatment”), which reached No. 7 on the Hot 100 and No. 9 in Canada. “I’m Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight” followed in May 1978 (b/w “The Ballad of Lois Malone”) and reached No. 14 in the U.S. and No. 15 in Canada. “Champagne Jam” appeared as the third single (b/w “Normal Love”).

Underdog

The Atlanta Rhythm Section released their eighth album, Underdog, in June 1979 on Polydor.

The album balances soft mid-tempo pieces with brighter electric passages shaped around Ronnie Hammond’s understated phrasing, Barry Bailey’s upper-register lead accents, J.R. Cobb’s steady rhythm lines, and Dean Daughtry’s rounded keyboard voicings. It marks the end of the band’s original lineup with drummer Robert Nix.

Producer Buddy Buie wrote five songs with Nix and Daughtry. Cobb co-wrote three songs and Bailey co-wrote one. They revisit Classics IV with a new version of “Spooky,” which Cobb first cut with that group, and they fold an extended reading of Ray Charles’ 1966 hit “Let’s Go Get Stoned” into “I Hate the Blues.”

The sequence moves between gentle, measured pieces and longer, rising arrangements. “Do It or Die” opens at a slow, even pace with soft electric piano figures and unhurried vocal lines. “Born Ready” takes a brighter push with clipped guitar strokes and a steady pulse. “I Hate the Blues” stretches over a patient build: long guitar sustains, gradual dynamic lifts, and an inserted break where the band moves into the slow, descending pattern of “Let’s Go Get Stoned.” “Indigo Passion” settles into a lighter mid-tempo sway with smooth keyboard layering. “While Time Is Left” forms on a warm, expanding pattern with parallel guitar lines. “It’s Only Music” rises and falls on wide keyboard chords and extended phrases. Their 1979 “Spooky” uses a firmer rhythm and sharper guitar inflections than the 1968 hit version, while “My Song” closes in a quiet, slower frame with soft keyboard support and a reflective lyrical tone.

A1. “Do It or Die” (3:28)
A2. “Born Ready” (3:53)
A3. “I Hate the Blues” / “Let’s Go Get Stoned” (7:10) — “Let’s Go Get Stoned” originated as a 1965 Coasters single written by Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson, and Josephine Armstead; Ray Charles’ 1966 version became an R&B No. 1.
A4. “Indigo Passion” (3:55)

B1. “While Time Is Left” (5:20)
B2. “It’s Only Music” (5:32)
B3. “Spooky” (4:58) — first charted in 1967 as an instrumental by Mike Sharpe; Classics IV popularized the vocal version in 1968 with lyrics by Cobb and Buie.
B4. “My Song” (3:15)

Sessions occurred in early 1979 at Studio One in Doraville with producer Buddy Buie and engineer Rodney Mills.

Polydor issued “Do It or Die” (b/w “My Song”) in August 1979; it reached No. 19 on the Hot 100 and No. 11 on the Adult Contemporary chart. “Spooky” followed the same month (b/w “It’s Only Music”) and reached No. 17 on the Hot 100.

Are You Ready!

In October 1979, he Atlanta Rhythm Section released Are You Ready!, a two-record set of concert and live in-studio performances.

The album captures the band’s late-1970s stage sound with tightened rhythm motion, extended dual-guitar passages, and steady mid-tempo pacing shaped around Ronnie Hammond’s rounded vocal tone, Barry Bailey’s upper-register lead figures, J.R. Cobb’s rhythm accents, Dean Daughtry’s keyboard voicings, Paul Goddard’s centered bass lines, and Robert Nix’s crisp drum patterns.

Producer Buddy Buie wrote most of the setlist titles from the group’s 1974–78 catalog, with Nix, Daughtry, Cobb, Bailey, and Hammond contributing across earlier studio versions. One new studio recording closes the album: a cover of Little Richard (“Long Tall Sally”). The remaining pieces derive from concert tapes and in-studio runs performed before an invited audience.

The sequence alternates between extended instrumental showcases and concise live readings of recent singles. The openers move from a short orchestral prelude into rising pieces with clipped guitar exchanges and steady rhythmic drive. “Sky High” and “Champagne Jam” follow their studio shapes with firmer accents and broader solo breaks. “I’m Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight” shifts to an even, slow build with wide keyboard voicings, while “Large Time” tightens into fast, percussive guitar motion. Mid-album tracks highlight quieter contours, including the patient, acoustic-lined “Conversation,” while “Angel (What in the World’s Come Over Us)” expands into a heavier, elongated arrangement with higher-intensity lead statements. The third side centers on long-form development: “Another Man’s Woman” stretches for more than fourteen minutes with rising dual-guitar passages and Goddard’s extended bass spotlight. The closing side returns to smoother pacing before the set ends with a brisk reading of “Long Tall Sally.”

A1. “Prelude: Tara’s Theme” (6:15)
A2. “Sky High” (6:05)
A3. “Champagne Jam” (5:14)
A4. “I’m Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight” (5:03)
A5. “Large Time” (3:26)

B1. “Back Up Against the Wall” (4:06)
B2. “Angel (What in the World’s Come Over Us)” (7:17)
B3. “Conversation” (3:57)
B4. “Imaginary Lover” (5:38)

C1. “Doraville” (4:09)
C2. “Another Man’s Woman” (14:33)

D1. “Georgia Rhythm” (5:40)
D2. “So Into You” (7:47)
D3. “Long Tall Sally” (3:41) — originated as a 1956 Specialty single by Little Richard, written by Enotris Johnson, Richard Penniman, and Robert Blackwell

Sessions occurred in 1979 at Studio One in Doraville with producer Buddy Buie and engineer Rodney Mills. Goddard, Bailey, Cobb, Daughtry, Hammond, and Nix appear throughout the recordings. Mills mixed the album, and Bob Ludwig and Mills handled mastering.

The cover features art direction and design by Mike McCarty.

The Boys From Doraville

The Atlanta Rhythm Section released their ninth studio album, The Boys From Doraville, in August 1980 on Polydor.

Doraville presents a polished Southern rock approach with Hammond’s smooth, slightly raspy vocals fronting the mix, J.R. Cobb and Barry Bailey supplying sharp-edged, crunching guitar lines, Paul Goddard’s bass providing anchor, Dean Daughtry’s keyboards shading the arrangements, and Roy Yeager’s drums and percussion driving the rhythm. Guest backing vocals from “Stray” Straton add texture to select tracks.

Buddy Buie wrote the majority of the album’s songs with secondary input from Cobb, Daughtry, Nix, and Hammond.

The performances alternate between uptempo, rhythmically insistent tracks and more lyrical, harmony-driven numbers. “Cocaine Charlie” opens with tense, punchy guitars and steady drum figures. “Next Year’s Rock & Roll” unfolds in measured sections, layering Hammond’s voice over contoured keyboard lines. The title track “I Ain’t Much” emphasizes syncopated guitar accents and rolling bass under Hammond’s lead. “Silver Eagle” and “Putting My Faith in Love” feature sustained keyboard voicings with sharp guitar punctuations, while “Rough at the Edges” and “Pedestal” tighten pacing with brief, high-intensity bursts. The album’s closer, “Strictly R & R,” merges multiple instrumental textures into a concise, rock-centered finale.

A1. “Cocaine Charlie” (4:53)
A2. “Next Year’s Rock & Roll” (5:20)
A3. “I Ain’t Much” (4:23)
A4. “Putting My Faith in Love” (5:10)

B1. “Rough at the Edges” (3:16)
B2. “Silver Eagle” (3:51)
B3. “Pedestal” (2:49)
B4. “Try My Love” (4:04)
B5. “Strictly R & R” (4:41)

Sessions occurred in early 1980 at Studio One in Doraville with producer Buddy Buie and engineer Rodney Mills. Mills mixed the album, and mastering was handled by Bob Ludwig.

Polydor promoted The Boys from Doraville with the singles “I Ain’t Much” and “Silver Eagle,” though neither charted.

Quinella

The Atlanta Rhythm Section released their tenth studio album, Quinella, in August 1981 on Columbia.

Quinella emphasizes the band’s polished Southern rock style, with Ronnie Hammond delivering smooth vocals and occasional acoustic guitar and percussion, J.R. Cobb and Barry Bailey supplying crisp, contoured guitar lines, Dean Daughtry shaping the arrangements on keyboards, Paul Goddard grounding the tracks on bass, and Roy Yeager on drums and percussion. Additional textures come from Buddy Buie on backing vocals and Steve McRay on piano and backing vocals on “Alien,” with Mark Denning contributing synthesizer.

Buddy Buie wrote most of the album’s material with select co-writing from Cobb, Daughtry, Hammond, and Lewis.

The songs alternate between driving and lyrical constructions. “Homesick” opens with sustained, urgent guitar lines and tight rhythm, propelling Hammond’s voice over a taut foundation. The title track “Quinella” features layered guitar textures and measured keyboard shading. “Alien” balances dynamic instrumental passages with rich backing vocals and a prominent piano presence. “Outlaw Music” maintains steady forward momentum with sharp, punctuated guitar accents, while “Pretty Girl” and “Southern Exposure” offer briefer, more contemplative sections. The album closes with “Going to Shangri-La,” which combines rhythmic subtlety with clean instrumental interplay.

A1. “Homesick” (4:16)
A2. “Quinella” (5:28)
A3. “Alien” (4:55)
A4. “Higher” (4:12)

B1. “You’re So Strong” (5:02)
B2. “Outlaw Music” (5:03)
B3. “Pretty Girl” (3:31)
B4. “Southern Exposure” (2:53)
B5. “Going to Shangri-La” (3:44)

Sessions occurred in 1981 at Studio One in Doraville with producer Buddy Buie and engineer Rodney Mills, assisted by Greg Quesnel. Mills mixed the album, and Bob Ludwig mastered it.

Polydor promoted Quinella with the single “Alien,” which reached No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 16 on Adult Contemporary, and No. 18 on Billboard Top Tracks.

Discography: