David Lawrence "Dave" Hlubek (/ˈluːbɛk/ LOO-bek) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter born in Jacksonville, Florida. He is best known as a founding member and the lead guitarist of the Southern rock band Molly Hatchet, and for composing the enduring anthem "Flirtin' with Disaster." Hlubek's playing and songs helped define a hard-driving, blues-tinged strand of Southern rock that reached popular audiences in the late 1970s and beyond.

Role and musical style

Hlubek was a primary architect of Molly Hatchet's sound, contributing powerful rhythm parts, searing lead lines and memorable riffs. His approach combined blues-based phrasing, country-flavored bends and rock aggression, often heard within the band's layered dual- and triple-guitar arrangements. Those elements gave Molly Hatchet a muscular, working-class tone that set them alongside other American Southern rock acts while retaining a distinct, harder edge.

Career and development

Raised in Jacksonville, Hlubek helped form his band in the early 1970s and steered it through club circuits, regional popularity and eventual national exposure. The group's rise in the late 1970s brought increased radio play and touring, with Hlubek contributing both instrumental work and songwriting. Across decades he remained associated with Molly Hatchet, even as personnel changed and rock fashions shifted.

Notable songs and recordings

Hlubek's best-known composition is the title track "Flirtin' with Disaster," which became a staple of classic rock radio and a signature live number. Other songs associated with the band and its catalog that reflect Hlubek's influence include:

  • "Flirtin' with Disaster"
  • "Dreams I'll Never See"
  • "Bounty Hunter"

Legacy and influence

Dave Hlubek's work helped keep the Southern rock tradition visible at a time when popular rock styles were diversifying. Musicians and fans cite his riffs and arrangements as influential in preserving a guitar-oriented, blues-rooted approach to American rock. The title song he wrote remains widely recognized and is often used to represent the era's sound in retrospectives and classic-rock programming.

Personal notes and death

Hlubek hailed from Jacksonville, Florida, a city with a notable rock scene that produced several prominent Southern rock acts. His name is sometimes pronounced LOO-bek, reflecting its spelling and family origin. Dave Hlubek died of a heart attack on September 3, 2017, at the age of 66. For more on the genre he helped shape, see Southern rock resources.