Synopsis

That Georgia Rhythm began production in June 2015 and tells the story of Rodney Mills—an unsung hero whose work behind the console at Studio One in Doraville, Georgia helped define the sound of Southern Rock.

The film takes viewers through four decades of Atlanta’s music history, spotlighting the creative forces of Bill Lowery and Buddy Buie, whose vision brought Studio One to life.

In the 1970s, this quiet Atlanta suburb became a creative powerhouse. From the control room, Mills and a team of gifted engineers and producers shaped the recordings that took the nation by storm—Lynyrd Skynyrd, .38 Special, and The Atlanta Rhythm Section—each bearing Mills’s signature sound: warm, precise, and unmistakably Southern.

Studio One also produced an array of unforgettable hits, including the Grammy-nominated disco anthem “I Love the Nightlife” by Alicia Bridges, Starbuck’s “Moonlight Feels Right”, the worldwide novelty smash “Pac-Man Fever”, Stillwater’s “Mindbender”, and more.

The film traces Mills’s evolution from a young engineer to a revered producer, working alongside industry legends Buddy Buie, Bill Lowery, Bob “Tub” Langford, and Al Kooper to craft the songs that became the heartbeat of a generation.

Featuring appearances by Al Kooper, Rodney Mills, Bob Langford, B.J. Thomas, Bill Anderson, and more, That Georgia Rhythm shines a long-overdue spotlight on Mills’s pivotal role in creating enduring classics like “Free Bird,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Hold On Loosely,” “Second Chance,” and countless others that still echo across American radio.

The film also reveals how Lynyrd Skynyrd was discovered in an Atlanta nightclub—a chance encounter that led to the band’s move from Muscle Shoals and Criteria Studios to Studio One, where their greatest hits were produced, engineered, and mixed.

Artimus Pyle, Skynyrd’s drummer, offers a gripping first hand account of the 1977 plane crash that shook the Southern Rock world—and shares how Mills’s work helped preserve the band’s enduring legacy.

As the story unfolds, That Georgia Rhythm becomes more than a chronicle of a musical era—it’s a portrait of the people who gave that era its sound. Through candid interviews and rare studio footage, Rodney Mills emerges as the heartbeat of Southern Rock: a humble craftsman whose influence still resonates today.

If you love Southern Rock, you’ll love this film.