Atlanta’s Burning Down is the third solo album by Allman Brothers Band guitarist Dickey Betts and the second credited with his band Great Southern, recorded in late 1977 and released in early 1978. Over eight tracks—“Good Time Feeling,” the title song “Atlanta’s Burning Down,” “Leavin’ Me Again,” “Back on the Road Again,” “Dealin’ with the Devil,” “Shady Streets,” “You Can Have Her (I Don’t Want Her),” and “Mr. Blues Man”—Betts leans into a warm blend of Southern rock, country, and boogie, closer in spirit to his Allmans work on tunes like “Ramblin’ Man” than to jam‑heavy psychedelia. The core Great Southern lineup—Betts and “Dangerous” Dan Toler on guitars, Michael Workman on keys, David Goldflies on bass, and David Toler and Donnie Sharbono on drums—is augmented by guests including Bonnie Bramlett, Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews (backing vocals), Reese Wynans (keyboards on the title track), and Topper Price on harmonica, giving the record a rich, rootsy texture.The title track is a narrative centrepiece: written by Billy Ray Reynolds, it tells a Civil War story about a soldier fighting in Virginia while his wife is caught in Atlanta as the city burns, pairing Betts’ emotive vocal with strings and gospel‑tinged backing vocals. Elsewhere, “Good Time Feeling” and “Back on the Road Again” deliver upbeat, radio‑ready Southern rock, “Dealin’ with the Devil” and “Shady Streets” dig into grittier grooves, and “Mr. Blues Man” closes the album on a slower, more reflective note. Contemporary and retrospective reviews highlight Betts’ singing as much as his guitar work, calling the album “loud, tough, and funky” and a winner that shows how comfortably he could front his own band outside the Allmans context. Reissues—including a two‑fer with the previous Dickey Betts & Great Southern and recent coloured‑vinyl pressings—have helped cement Atlanta’s Burning Down as a key document of late‑’70s Southern rock.
