As a result of the band's relentless touring schedule, "Idlewild South" was recorded gradually over a period of five months in various cities, including New York, Miami, and Macon, Georgia, the band's home. Tom Dowd had previously been sought to record the group's debut but had been unavailable. The material presented on "Idlewild South" was written during this period and tested out on the road at shows. The album's title comes from the band's nickname for a rustic cabin the band rented out and used for rehearsals, as well as parties. "Idlewild South" contains two of the band's best-known songs, "Midnight Rider" (later a hit for various artists) and "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed", which became one of the band's famous concert numbers.