Formed from the cream of Atlanta’s studio musicians, the Atlanta Rhythm Section (actually
hailing from nearby Doraville, Georgia) came together in 1970 after working on a Roy Orbison
recording session.
Keyboardist Dean Daughtry and drummer Robert Nix had been members of Orbison's backing
group, the Candymen, and Daughtry and guitarist J.R. Cobb had been members of the Top 40
hitmakers Classics IV (“Spooky,” “Stormy,” “Traces”). Rounding out the original ARS lineup
were vocalist Rodney Justo (replaced after the first album by Ronnie Hammond), guitarist Barry
Bailey, and bassist Paul Goddard.
The group recorded two albums for Decca Records in 1972, neither of which made an impact,
before signing to Polydor Records in 1974. Their first album for that company, Third Annual
Pipe Dream, only reached number 74 in the U.S. The next two albums fared worse. Finally, in 1977, “So In To You” became the band’s breakthrough single, reaching the U.S. Top 10, and the album from which it came, A Rock And Roll Alternative, went gold. Their platinum followup album, Champagne Jam , broke into the Top 10 in 1978, together with the blockbuster single “Imaginary Lover” (“I’m Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight” was another major hit from the same album). Nix left after that, replaced on drums by Roy Yeager. During this magical timeframe, ARS performed at the White House for President Jimmy Carter, another notable Georgia product.
After an extended break, the band got back together in the mid-‘90s and re-recorded some of their best and best-known songs. The live-in-the-studio sound of Atlanta Rhythm Section ‘96 presents a different, less polished take on some classic tunes and captures the sound of their live performances from that period. Three original band members returned: singer Ronnie Hammond, guitarist Barry Bailey and keyboardist Dean Daughtry. They were joined by Steve Stone on guitar, Justin Senker on bass and Sean Burke on drums. The group also cut a second version of these songs with the same lineup except for new drummer R. J. Vealey.
It was around this time that ARS was elected to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. The band was honored at a September 1996 induction ceremony at the Georgia World Congress Center. In the first part of 2001, lead singer Ronnie Hammond made a commitment to perform with the ensemble touring group Voices of Classic Rock and this led to a parting of ways with ARS. Original singer Rodney Justo and original bassist Paul Goddard returned to ARS in 2011 after lengthy absences from the group. Sadly, Goddard passed away April 29, 2014 of cancer in Atlanta. Nonetheless, Atlanta Rhythm Section will carry on, continuing to make concert appearances showcasing their many classic hits and outstanding musical abilities
It’s going to be an awesome weekend. We hope you’ll join us.
All General Admission Tickets are sold via the Print At Home option. You must print out your General Admission Tickets from your computer or download them to your phone and bring them with you to the festival for admission. Be prepared to show a photo ID.
All single-day General Admission Tickets are day-specific, so when ordering please make sure you indicate which day you wish to attend.
For our Ticket Polices/Info/Disclaimer, CLICK HERE.
Camping is the best way to experience Rock, Ribs & Ridges 2018. Make a weekend of it, partying with friends old and new. The campgrounds are only a 3-minute walk from the festival!
Buy your camping (and RV passes) now and save big!! Prices subject to change without notice.
EXCLUSIVELY FOR OUR CAMPERS:
Friday campers-only concert.
Friday night bonfire, following the campers-only concert.
Saturday evening campers-only concert.
24-hour access to restrooms and showers.
NEW FOR 2018! Sunday Morning Get Together
Join us on Sunday morning for:
- Free coffee and donuts
- Complimentary copies of The Sunday Star Ledger
- 30-minute walking tours of the beautiful Sussex County Fairgrounds (get that blood flowing)
- “Storytime With Howard”. Howard Freeman, founder and president of Promo 1, will regale you with stories of life in the festival business, and take your questions
IF YOU’RE THINKING OF CAMPING, PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO READ THESE IMPORTANT NOTES
Each camper must purchase either Camping With General Admission or Camping With VIP Admission. Please don’t purchase a General Admission Weekend Pass or VIP Weekend Pass. Those don’t include the ability to camp.
If you are bringing an RV, you must purchase an RV pass in addition to your Camping With General Admission (or VIP) Passes. As for what qualifies as an RV, please see below.
Children ages 4 – 12 camp for free, but must have either a Children’s General Admission Pass or Children’s VIP Weekend Pass.
Choose either Campgrounds West (quieter, lots of tent camping, electrical hookups available for RV’s), or Campgrounds East (the place for the hard-core partyers). Make your selection when you place your order. (For a map of the campground locations, CLICK HERE.)
For more RV info, CLICK HERE.
For all the Camping Do’s and Don’ts, CLICK HERE.
Camping is the best way to experience Rock, Ribs & Ridges 2018. Make a weekend of it, partying with friends old and new. The campgrounds are only a 3-minute walk from the festival!
Buy your camping (and RV passes) now and save big!! Prices subject to change without notice.
EXCLUSIVELY FOR OUR CAMPERS:
Friday campers-only concert.
Friday night bonfire, following the campers-only concert.
Saturday evening campers-only concert.
24-hour access to restrooms and showers.
NEW FOR 2018! Sunday Morning Get Together
Join us on Sunday morning for:
- Free coffee and donuts
- Complimentary copies of The Sunday Star Ledger
- 30-minute walking tours of the beautiful Sussex County Fairgrounds (get that blood flowing)
- “Storytime With Howard”. Howard Freeman, founder and president of Promo 1, will regale you with stories of life in the festival business, and take your questions
IF YOU’RE BRINGING AN RV, PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO READ THESE IMPORTANT NOTES
If you are bringing an RV, you must purchase an RV pass. As for what qualifies as an RV, please see below.
Then – and this is really important - each person in the RV must purchase either Camping With General Admission or Camping With VIP Admission. Please don’t purchase a General Admission Weekend Pass or VIP Weekend Pass. Those don’t include the ability to camp.
Children ages 4 – 12 camp for free, but must have either a Children’s General Admission Pass or Children’s VIP Weekend Pass.
Choose either Campgrounds West (quieter, lots of tent camping, electrical hookups available for RV’s), or Campgrounds East (the place for the hard-core partyers). Make your selection when you place your order. (For a map of the campground locations, CLICK HERE.)
For all the Camping Do’s and Don’ts, CLICK HERE.
OTHER IMPORTANT RV STUFF
An RV is any vehicle equal to or larger than a 15-passenger van. All oversized vehicles, trailers, campers that are towed, and buses are considered RV’s. These vehicles, if staying with us the entire weekend, need an RV Pass.
RV spots are 20′ X 40′.
20, 30 and 50-amp electrical service is available in Campgrounds East. However, the number of 50-amp hookups is limited, so please order early. Campgrounds West only has 20-amp electrical service.
All RV’s have access to a water spigot (gravity feed) and to the waste water dump site on the festival grounds (you empty your own waste tank). If you desire, you can make arrangements with our portable toilet company to have them pump out your waste water tank on Sunday morning, June 24. The contact information for this service will be given to you on site at check-in.
Looking to park your RV next to your friends? We’ll make every effort to accommodate you; there’s a place to indicate your preference when you’re buying your RV Pass.
A Miller Mezzanine Reserved Table is a fantastic way to enjoy the festival with your friends, valued employees or key clients.
Tables can be reserved for 4, 6 or 10 guests. But hurry – Miller Mezzanine Tables ALWAYS sell out.
Miller Mezzanine Tables come complete with:
- A reserved table for 4, 6 or 10 guests
- A close-up, unobstructed view of The Main Entertainment Stage;
- One (1) complimentary, mouth-watering barbeque meal for each guest, courtesy of one of our bbq concessionaires;
- T-shirt for each of your guests;
- Free bottles of water;
- Private restroom facilities;
- Private cash bar – no standing in line.
All single-day Miller Mezzanine Reserved Tables are day-specific, so when ordering please make sure you indicate which day you wish to attend.