Turtles’ Frontman Mark Volman Has Left the Building—But Wait Till You Hear the Wild Ride He Took Getting There
Added on September 5, 2025 inMusic News Cards
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Is there ever such a thing as “too much happy”—especially when the Moon hangs out in silliness-prone Gemini and the universe insists you take a nostalgic stroll through your favorite playlist? Mark Volman, the big-haired, ever-joyful co-founder of The Turtles, would probably shake his head, flash a mischievous grin, and shout “No way!” through a megaphone shaped like a rubber chicken. No horoscope could have prepared us for a world without the guy who (with Howard Kaylan) gave us “Happy Together”—the ultimate anthem for anyone stuck between falling in love and falling apart. Somehow, on a day with cosmic mischief in the air, we’re left to imagine him harmonizing with Starman himself, maybe even teaching Bowie how to do the Flo & Eddie hop. If Saturn’s retrograde has you feeling blue, Volman’s relentless humor and trailblazing musical weirdness should be your spiritual playlist. His departure reminds us—laugh loud, fight for what’s right, and for heaven’s sake, sing along even when your voice cracks . Want a deeper look at how Mark’s legendary antics changed music, law, and the size of the hairspray industry forever? LEARN MORE.
Mark Volman, the co-founder of ’60s rock band The Turtles and one-half of ’70s duo Flo & Eddie, has died. He was 78.
Volman died Friday following a “brief, unexpected illness,” a representative for the musician told The Hollywood Reporter.
“Always funny, always upbeat, and a spirited and inventive performer, we will miss him greatly,” Volman’s attorney Evan Cohen wrote on Facebook Friday.
Born in Los Angeles in 1947, Volman first broke through with the Turtles in the mid-’60s, founding the group with Howard Kaylan, Al Nichol, Jim Tucker, Chuck Portz and Don Murray. Volman served as a vocalist in the band, which had its first hit in 1965 with a cover of Bob Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me Babe,” which spent 11 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100. They had other hits, including “She’d Rather Be With Me,” “Elenore” and “You Showed Me,” though The Turtles’ biggest hit by far was “Happy Together,” which topped the Hot 100 and is certified triple-platinum by the RIAA.
Volman and Kaylan started Flo & Eddie after The Turtles disbanded in 1970, working with the likes of T. Rex, Frank Zappa and Bruce Springsteen. They provided background vocals on T. Rex’s famed single “Bang a Gong (Get It On),” as well as for Springsteen’s song “Hungry Heart.”
Volman had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia back in 2020, revealing the diagnosis three years later. He is survived by his significant other, Emily Volman, a rep for Volman said, as well as his ex-wife Pat Voman, their daughters — Hallie Volman and Sarina Miller — and his brother Phil Volman.
As Cohen wrote, Volman leaves behind a legacy not just for the music itself, but for his advocacy for standing up for artists’ rights over the use of their music.
“Mark and bandmate Howard Kaylan stepped up and set an example for decades, standing up for the rights of musicians in various legal actions, which had a great impact on the progression of the law in several different areas (including sampling, and the eventual protection of 60s recordings under the Music Modernization Act),” Cohen wrote. “And, as if it needed to be said, ‘Happy Together,’ a masterpiece of 60s pop, will continue to be loved by all, because, like Mark, Howard, and The Turtles, it just makes people feel good.”
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