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.
he 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 James B. 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 Al Kooper, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Joe South, Bonnie Bramlett, Dickey Betts, B.J. Thomas 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.