Steve Holland, founding guitarist of Southern rock band Molly Hatchet, has died.
News of Holland’s passing was shared on social media by his most recent band, Gator Country.
Holland and fellow guitarist Dave Hlubek formed Molly Hatchet in 1971 after meeting at a record store in Jacksonville, Florida. After a series of early lineup changes, in 1976 the band settled on a core of Holland, Hlubek, vocalist Danny Joe Brown, guitarist Duane Roland, drummer Bruce Crump, and bassist Banner Thomas.
Over the next half decade, Molly Hatchet experienced immense success, with their first three studio albums all achieving platinum status. Most notably, the band’s 1979 LP Flirtin’ with Disaster went double platinum and cracked the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 album charts.
Holland left Molly Hatchet in 1984, citing his desire to no longer tour. He later reunited with the band in 1999 for a one-off benefit concert for Brown who suffered a stroke.
