W.S. "Fluke" Holland, the legendary drummer known as the "Father of the Drums" for his pioneering work with Johnny Cash, died on 23 September 2020 at his home in Jackson, Tennessee, aged 85. Holland was the sole drummer for Johnny Cash's Tennessee Three backing band throughout more than four decades, making him a crucial figure in shaping the sound of country music's most iconic artist.

Holland was born on 22 April 1935 and had an unconventional entry into music—working for an air conditioning company before being encouraged by Carl Perkins to take up drums despite never having played an instrument. He played on Perkins' classic 1955 recording of "Blue Suede Shoes" before a two-week engagement with Cash in 1960 turned into 37 years of collaboration, lasting until his retirement in 1997. Holland's unique left-handed, reverse-order playing style created the distinctive "train-like" rhythm that defined Cash's most celebrated recordings, including "Folsom Prison Blues," "Walk the Line," and "Ring of Fire."