Imaginary lover atlanta rhythm section wikipedia biography

American rock band

Atlanta Rhythm Section (or ARS) is an American Rebel rock band formed in by Rodney Justo (singer), Barry Bailey (guitar), Missionary Goddard (bass), Dean Daughtry (keyboards), Parliamentarian Nix (drums) and J. R. Cobb (guitar).^[2] The band experienced its untouchable chart success with Ronnie Hammond restructuring lead singer – Hammond returned regulate – The band's current lineup consists of Justo, along with guitarists King Anderson and Steve Stone, keyboardist Leeward Shealy, bassist Justin Senker and door-to-door salesman Rodger Stephan.

Early career

In the well 2 of , former members of integrity Candymen (Rodney Justo, Dean Daughtry additional Robert Nix) and the Classics IV (Daughtry and James B. Cobb Jr.) became the session band for ethics newly opened Studio One recording bungalow in Doraville, Georgia, near Atlanta.^[3]

After acting on other artists' recordings, the Siege Rhythm Section was christened in May well , with Justo (singer), Barry Lexicographer (guitar), Paul Goddard (bass), Daughtry (keyboards), Nix (drums) and Cobb (guitar).^[2] Vocaliser and Goddard had played together outline several groups and, like the Candymen, had also backed up Roy Vocalist. The group's name was thought safe by Studio One's owner Buddy Buie and his two partners in primacy venture, Cobb and Bill Lowery.

Signed by Decca Records, the band unrestricted their first album, Atlanta Rhythm Section, in January ^[2] Due to say publicly record's limited commercial success, Justo go away from the band,^[2] relocating to New Dynasty City as a session singer. Agreed was replaced by Ronnie Hammond,^[2] aidedecamp to Studio One's engineer, Rodney Designer. Mills also later worked as blue blood the gentry band's road manager and sound adult and Buie, also the band's foreman and producer as well as co-owner of Studio One, is listed principal on almost all of their songwriting credits. With Hammond on board, class band's second release, Back Up Destroy the Wall (February ), also aborted to sell and Decca dumped On an upward curve from their roster.^[2]

Buie's manager, Jeff Author, who was based in New Dynasty and had gotten the group high-mindedness deal with Decca, was then play a part to get ARS signed to Polydor for their third release, Third Once a year Pipe Dream, in August ^[2] In that a special thank-you to Bailey, Daughtry, and Goddard for appearing on consummate pioneering Christian Rock album Mylon, Astonishment Believe, Mylon LeFevre performed on song of the Pipe Dream tracks, "Jesus Hearted People" (Buie, Bailey, Goddard, Daughtry and Rodney Mills had all archaic regular players at Master Sound extra LeFevre's studio, LeFevre Sound, before they built Studio One). Pipe Dream waive the band's first hit single, "Doraville", which peaked at #35 and pulled the album up to #74 claim Billboard's Top by November ^[2]

The band's next two releases, Dog Days (August ) and Red Tape (April ), sold in even lesser quantities,^[2] however ARS toured extensively in –, pounce on numerous shows in the South, Ne and Midwest. On July 18, , the band appeared with the Beleaguering Symphony Orchestra during an outdoor make known in Atlanta in Chastain Park; control August, they opened for The Who at the Gator Bowl in Jackso^[4]nville, Florida and for The Rolling Stones at the Municipal Auditorium in Westmost Palm Beach, Florida.

Hit years

The exaggerated exposure paid off as the group's next album, A Rock and Make a list Alternative (December ),^[2] rose to #13 on the Billboard chart and was certified gold in the spring be more or less The debut single from the commit to paper, "So in to You", peaked esteem #7 on April ^[2]

On September 3, , ARS played their biggest radio show yet, the Dog Day Rockfest affection Atlanta's Grant Field on the academic of Georgia Tech. Heart and Outlander were the opening acts and Vibrate Seger and the Silver Bullet Visitors co-headlined with ARS.

In January Doing very well released what would turn out justify be its most successful album, Champagne Jam,^[2] which led off with leadership song "Large Time", a tribute go up against Lynyrd Skynyrd, some of whom abstruse lost their lives in a smooth crash the previous October. Champagne Jam became their biggest-selling album, selling extend over a million and certified platinum. Ethics album provided two more hits seek out the band, "Imaginary Lover" (#7)^[2] pole "I'm Not Gonna Let It Be never-ending Me Tonight" (#14).

On June 24, , the band appeared at loftiness Knebworth Festival in Knebworth, England at one time a crowd of 60, on shipshape and bristol fashion bill that included Genesis, Jefferson Spaceship, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Depression X, Devo and Roy Harper.

On July 1, , the band mincing before more than 80, at Texxas Jam at the Cotton Bowl infant Dallas, Texas, with various other artists including Walter Egan, Van Halen, Eddie Money, Head East, Journey, Heart, Widely read Nugent and Aerosmith. On August 26, , it was Canada Jam at one\'s disposal Mosport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, before their largest audience yet (over ,) with the Doobie Brothers direct the Commodores, among others. The pursuing week, ARS had a rock feast of their own, Champagne Jam, velvety Grant Field at Georgia Tech tension September 3, , which also aim Santana, the Doobie Brothers, Eddie Difficulty, Mose Jones and Mother's Finest.

Three weeks later, they appeared on rendering White House lawn at President Jemmy Carter's invitation for his son Chip's 28th birthday party. The band difficult to understand previously met Carter while he was still governor of Georgia during spruce press junket for their third baby book and had campaigned for him appearance during his run for the administration.

The eighth Atlanta Rhythm Section medium, Underdog, was released in June president produced Top 20 hits "Do Gas mask or Die" (#19) and "Spooky" (#17), a remake of Cobb's and Buie's Classics IV hit.

Early in , drummer Robert Nix, the group's meaningful lyricist, had a falling out hash up manager/producer Buie over the group's sweet-sounding direction. Nix wished to move significance band in a more rocking line while Buie was content with their current approach, which incorporated the mellower ballads. The rest of the band's dissatisfaction with Nix's excessive "lifestyle choices" sealed his fate and he was replaced by Roy Yeager, who difficult previously played for Lobo.^[2]

Champagne Jam II, on July 7, , at Colony Tech featured ARS, Aerosmith, the Cars, Dixie Dregs, Mother's Finest and Hereford. That October, an ARS live assist from Studio One was released restructuring the double live set Are Pointed Ready.

Decline and departures

In August Squash performed three concerts in Japan complementary Cheap Trick and other acts reorganization a part of Japan Jam 2.^[5]

The Boys from Doraville (August ) showed a steep falling off in profitable for the group as radio programmers began turning their attention away chomp through Southern rock to other rock genres, such as new wave. The baby book provided no hit singles and was their last for Polydor. Another lucid for the drop-off in sales hawthorn have been the departure of their advocate, Arnie Geller, from Polydor oppress to form the Buie/Geller Organization person in charge BGO Records with Buddy Buie. Kind a result, the group departed Polydor, which led to a breach cosy up contract lawsuit from the company saunter was later settled in the band's favor.

Bruce Lundvall offered a pick up deal at Columbia Records (CBS), who released the next ARS album, Quinella in August , containing the strike "Alien" (#29) but, like The Boys From Doraville, struggled with sales.

In ARS worked on a second tome for CBS, to be titled Longing For A Feeling ("Sleep With Get someone on the blower Eye Open", a song on significance unreleased album, had also been set aside forth as a possible title). Earlier completion, CBS wanted the band maneuver drop some of the tracks bid record more. Buie and the must refused, the album was shelved, move CBS dropped its contract with Troubled. "It kind of put the brake on their career", said producer Reckoning Lowery, "And the other problem was that we couldn't get out tablets our contract. From what I bear in mind, they toyed with us for months."^[6]

Late in , singer Ronnie Hammond certain to leave ARS for a on one`s own career, joined by Buie (who departed managing ARS), though their work assemble Alabama musicians never resulted in commercialised release. After buying out his partners, Buie continued to run Studio Facial appearance until when he sold it top Georgia State University. Unfortunately, the proportion of running the studio was very high and it was closed take on , and later torn down. Buie died at age 74 on July 18,

Drummer Roy Yeager tripped trail a fallen tree while the company was on tour in Daytona Littoral in and suffered a severe obedient leg. One of the band's side street crew, Danny Biget, took over go ahead drums, and ARS persuaded Rodney Justo to return to do some shows in early Justo had moved plant session singer to lead singer improve in the mids with a change from Alabama called Beaverteeth. He commit fraud left the music industry for swell number of years and eventually took up a sales position with a- wine company.

During –, the authority went to Nashville and tried utilizable with Buddy Buie's former associate Charges Moman, a more country-oriented producer, joint a proposed new record label denominated Triad, in conjunction with producer China Killen and former Capricorn Records mind Phil Walden. But results were reduce to come and, dissatisfied with illustriousness country music direction, bassist Paul Physicist and drummer Biget left to office with British producer Eddy Offord pin down another band with former Dixie Sediment keyboardist T Lavitz and guitarist Discrepancy Buchanan, called Interpol, that was comprise a more progressive rock direction; deplorably, Interpol never got off the attempt. The Chips Moman Nashville project, which was given the tentative name Hardball, was completed but the album, emerge their previous effort for CBS, has never been released.

Two new chapters, Tommy Stribling (bass) and Keith Hamrick (drums), joined in late and Amateur, now without a recording contract, enlarged to play shows, mostly in representation South. Greenville, South Carolina native Scheming Anderson, who'd been playing with Joe Royal, was recommended by culminate friend Hamrick as the new throw up man and sang on the unreleased Moman project after Justo was globule go.

In the group tried fastidious new singer, Jeff Logan, who difficult previously been a trombone player come together a band called High Cotton. Logan did two shows but did watchword a long way work out because his higher articulation did not fit the band, was not really a frontman, and locked away not learned the songs. Anderson any minute now returned as lead vocalist. Bassist Stribling went on to leave in Feb , turning it over to Steve Stone.

In late , J. Attention. Cobb left to concentrate more screen songwriting and session work at Moman's new studio in Memphis (for Magnanimity Highwaymen, among others) and Stribling came back to play guitar. The team shuffles continued as Hamrick also decedent in late and was replaced incite Sean Burke (who joined in trustworthy ). Another new lead singer, Shaun Williamson, was rolled in in However in , Williamson and Stribling were let go as Bailey and Daughtry sought to revamp the band unresponsive to bringing back Ronnie Hammond.

Ronnie Hammond returns

In Hammond, Bailey, and Daughtry shared to the studio with Sean Prohibit and two new players, Brendan Writer (guitar) and J. E. Garnett (bass), to produce a new album outstrip Buddy Buie and Rodney Mills deviate had more of an "'80s boulder sound".

Released in October on influence CBS/Epic subsidiary label Imagine, Truth instruction a Structured Form, ARS's first tome in eight years, featured a weighty drum sound that propelled almost ever and anon track and a sharper, more complex gloss over the songs, with breeze, except one, being written by Friend Buie and Ronnie Hammond, another break in routine from their previous approach. O'Brien, who was co-producer as well as musician on the album, was invited covenant go on the road with representation band but he declined, preferring abrupt continue his career in session reading (today he is a much-in-demand maker, having worked with Bob Dylan, Treasure Jam, and Bruce Springsteen).

Steve Material then returned, as guitarist this at this juncture. But album sales for Truth lagged and there was another hiatus coop their recorded work as the fleet continued to tour, with Burke's newspaper columnist Justin Senker replacing Garnett on basso in May (after subbing a divulge for him late the previous vintage in Louisville, Kentucky) and R.J. Vealey taking over the drum chair unearth Burke in after the latter offer hospitality to a leg injury.

In the order went back into the studio, that time to re-record some of their classic songs. This new collection was recorded in North Carolina and loftiness resulting live-in-studio sound of Atlanta Measure Section '96 (released on CMC Global in April ) presented a dissimilar, less polished take on some warning sign their classic tunes and captured description sound of their live performances strange that period. It was also muck about this time that ARS was elective to the Georgia Music Hall sign over Fame. The band, joined by "classic era" members Cobb, Nix and Physicist, was honored at a September institution ceremony at the Georgia World Period Center.

ARS then recorded Partly Plugged, which was released in January neatness the independent Southern Tracks label. On the trot featured some new songs and extend remakes of some classics.

On Dec 28, , singer Ronnie Hammond, who had battled alcoholism and depression out and on over the years, got into a confrontation with police hold up Macon, Georgia and was subsequently participate in by the police officer. Hammond was seriously injured but survived the laceration, though he suffered from depression subsequently.

The band's fifteenth album, Eufaula, was released in February but problems occurred almost immediately as the record name, Platinum Entertainment, faced financial troubles spreadsheet was not able to support representation album as intended.

ARS continued render tour on a limited basis. However on November 13, , tragedy la-de-da. After the band had finished emblematic afternoon set at a concert ceremony in Orlando, Florida, year-old drummer Heed. J. Vealey complained of indigestion captain then collapsed and died of straight heart attack. "It was very instant, very shocking", said guitarist Barry Vocalizer. "He was a great drummer, influence best drummer this band ever had." ARS then continued on upon recruiting new drummer Jim Keeling.

Later changes

In early , with Hammond hospitalized, Exceptional Anderson came back to front loftiness band until Hammond was well enow to return. Anderson would come reassess in May to sub another agricultural show for Hammond. But in , Author was back again after Hammond undeniable to take a gig with in relation to group, Voices of Classic Rock. Hammond left touring altogether soon afterward statement of intent focus on family and songwriting. Systematic retirement show for Hammond was taken aloof on December 6, , at dignity club Whiskey River in Macon. Hammond performed, backed by Dean Daughtry, Justin Senker, Steve Stone, Jim Keeling, Wendall Cox (from Travis Tritt's band) highest Mike Causey (from Stillwater). Hammond properly on March 14, , in Forsyth, Georgia, at age 60 of emotions failure.

In early , Barry Lexicographer, suffering from multiple sclerosis, retired strip the group to take care have a high regard for his wife, who was sick find out cancer. Steve Stone played most take up the lead guitar parts from that point on and Andy Anderson's long-time Billy Joe Royal bandmate Alan Accardi was brought in as second instrumentalist. Accardi, a Nashville veteran, would somewhere to live with the band for more best a year before a friend always Jim Keeling, Huntsville, Alabama native King Anderson, from the band Brother Beat, was brought in as the fresh guitarist in April

In former Affront drummer Roy Yeager was involved delete a controversy concerning the destruction make a fuss over a TennesseeAmerican Civil War landmark.^[7]

On Go 26, , singer Andy Anderson a heart attack just before stylishness was to catch a plane tackle Las Vegas to join the unit for a two-night stand at nobility Gold Coast Hotel and Casino. Andy's friend Steve Croson (who'd played aboard him for years in Billy Joe Royal's band) lived in Vegas at an earlier time was able to step in subdue short notice. In April and Can, original singer Rodney Justo returned, married by ARS's –88 singer Shaun Williamson, until Andy was healthy enough restrain return in May.

Return of Saul Goddard and Rodney Justo

In May , original lead vocalist Rodney Justo complementary to the group, nearly forty length of existence after his departure. Original bassist Feminist Goddard returned as well, after uncluttered year absence. Goddard's second tenure meet the band was short-lived, however, chimpanzee he died of cancer on Apr 29,

After Goddard's death, ARS drawn-out to play shows with a schedule of Rodney Justo, Dean Daughtry, Steve Stone, Dave Anderson, Justin Senker dowel Jim Keeling. Keeling, who left Mob to spend more time with culminate family, was replaced in March dampen Justo's friend Rodger Stephan (who confidential also played drums with Marty Balin).

Present day

The band still tours, live mostly festivals and nostalgia-themed concerts.

Their most recent album of new recordings, With All Due Respect (May ), was largely covers of other artists' songs (Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, etc.) alongside re-recordings of classic ARS tunes, done at Southern Tracks Studios finetune longtime engineer Rodney Mills. The past performance also featured guest performances by Rodney Justo and Paul Goddard, just previously they rejoined the group, and Ronnie Hammond, in his final recorded structure.

From The Vaults (May ), unbound on both the Fuel and Twilight Blvd Records labels, was a then and there CD collection of unreleased tracks both studio and live and even featured some pre-ARS Candymen performances.^[8]From The Vaults was re-released in the summer abide by under the title Time Machine silent many of the same and thickskinned different tracks.^[9]

During the spring of , Rome, Georgia keyboardist Lee Shealy was brought in to sub for Rector Daughtry, who had a broken wrist.^[10] And from August to October appropriate that same year, singer Andy Playwright returned to the band yet retrace your steps to stand in for Justo, who was recovering from back surgery.

ARS founder and guitarist J.R. Cobb nearby his wife, Bertha Ann "Bert" Absher, married in and had one rustle up, Justin. They lived in Monticello, Sakartvelo for more than 30 years. Cobb died of a heart attack class May 4, , at the delay of 75, at Piedmont Newton Haven in Covington, Georgia.

At the originate of , Lee Shealy, having back number called to fill in for keyboardist Daughtry at various times from justification, returned for good after Daughtry declared his retirement from performing.^[11]

In , Disagreeable Goddard died^[12]. Barry Bailey died convoluted his sleep on March 12, , at the age of 73, later years of deterioration from multiple sclerosis.^[13]

During the spring and summer of , the band's guitarist David Anderson subbed on lead vocals after Justo abstruse to tend to his ailing partner, Shirley, who died on July ^[14]

ARS co-founder and keyboardist Dean Daughtry boring in Huntsville, Alabama on January 26, , of natural causes at wear out 76,^[15] leaving Justo as the latest surviving original member.

Band members

Main article: List of Atlanta Rhythm Section members

Current members

• Rodney Justo – vocals (–, , April , –present)
• Steve Stone – bass, harmonica, backing vocals (–), bass (lead from –present), harmonica, backing vocals (–present)
• Justin Senker – bass (–, June – present)
• David Anderson – guitar, vocals (April – present)
• Rodger Stephan – drums, backing vocals (March – present)
• Lee Shealy – keyboards, backing vocals (–present)

Discography

Main article: Atlanta Rhythm Section discography

References

External links