Last Albums: Atlanta Rhythm Section - Quinella (1981)
It's probably cheating to say that Quinella is a last album, but since I've always loved Atlanta Rhythm Section I'm making an exception today. ARS's fortunes declined steadily with each successive album charting lower than the previous one after Champagne Jam reached #7 in 1978. Quinella - their tenth release - peaked at only #70 on Billboard's top 200 album chart, but the single, "Alien," did much better, climbing all the way to #29 on the Hot 100. This would be the last time the group would make either of those lists. Singer Ronnie Hammond joined ARS in time to record their second album, and original drummer, Robert Nix, was replaced by Roy Yeager for The Boys From Doraville, the album before Quinella. The latter was the only change made to their classic lineup during their hitmaking years. After Quinella, the sextet became a revolving door with new members joining and old ones returning - then leaving again. By 1989, only two original mem