A Rock and Roll Alternative

by William RuhlmannA Rock and Roll Alternative was the Atlanta Rhythm Section's breakthrough record. After five albums and four years of trying, they hadn't gotten higher than number 74 in the LP lists, but this time their mixture of country and rock finally found its audience, largely due to the single "So Into You" (number seven pop, number 11 easy listening), so that the album soared to number 11 and went gold. It was only fair: the ARS had perfected a sound that was lighter and more accessible than the Allmans/Lynyrd Skynyrd school of Southern rock, but no less accomplished, and A Rock and Roll Alternative was the embodiment of it.