When great drummers are talked about, W.S. "Fluke" Holland hardly ever gets mentioned, but this man left an incredible mark on both country and rock music. He is probably best known as Johnny Cash's longtime drummer and his drums added much to Johnny's already unique sound (he also served as Johnny's road manager). However his mark on music history does not end here. He had been a session drummer at Sun studios in the 1950's, working with such early rock and roll greats as Roy Obison, Billy Lee Riley and Carl Mann. His most famous sessions at sun included Carl Perkin's Blue Suede Shoes and the infamous Million Dollar Quartet session (with Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis). On the country music side Fluke was the full time drummer for The Highwaymen (Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings). More importantly perhaps was that he was the first drummer to ever play a drum set onstage at the Grand Ole Opry (though in 1945, Bob Willis and the Texas Playboys played with a drummer hidden behind a curtain).
W.S. passed away today (at the age of 85) and to remember this great talent, let us enjoy some of the music he worked on.
-Michael J. Ruhland
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