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Legendary Singer Mark Volman, Co-Founder of The Turtles and Flo & Eddie, Dead at 78

CultureCelebs
By Craig Garrett
September 5, 2025 | 2:29 p.m. CDT
legendary-singer-mark-volman-co-founder-of-the-turtles-and-flo-eddie-dead-at-78
Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

Mark Volman, a founding member of the 1960s pop group The Turtles and the voice behind their No. 1 hit “Happy Together,” has passed away.

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Variety reports that the singer died on Friday in Nashville after a short illness. Volman was 78.

According to Deadline, in 2023, Volman disclosed that he had Lewy body dementia back in 2020. Despite the diagnosis, he remained active, continuing to perform on the annual “Happy Together” oldies tours in the years that followed.

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Mark Volman performs in 1971. (Photo by Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns)

Volman, born in Los Angeles in 1947, started playing music at a young age. After graduating from Westchester High School in 1965, he co-founded the Turtles with Howard Kaylan, Al Nichol, Jim Tucker, Chuck Portz, and Don Murray. The band released hits like “It Ain’t Me Babe,” “Elenore,” and the No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 track “Happy Together.”

The Turtles broke up in 1970, and Volman and Kaylan formed Flo & Eddie. They toured with Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention and provided background vocals for artists like T. Rex on “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” and Bruce Springsteen on “Hungry Heart.” They also contributed music to TV shows, including the children’s series Strawberry Shortcake.

Mark Volman Returns to School and Teaches College Courses

Meanwhile, Volman went back to school and earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Loyola Marymount University in 1997, followed by an M.F.A. in 1999 while in his late forties. He began teaching music business courses, mainly at Belmont University in Nashville.

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Mark Volman performs during the Happy Together tour at Saban Theatre on July 14, 2018, in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)

In 2010, Volman and Kaylan started the annual Happy Together tours, performing with other ’60s and ’70s acts like Gary Puckett, Mitch Ryder, Mark Lindsay, Mark Farner, Gary Lewis, and Micky Dolenz. After Kaylan retired in 2018, Volman continued touring with the Archies singer Ron Dante through summer 2025.

Volman is survived by his partner, Emily Volman, his former wife, Pat Volman, their daughters, Hallie Volman and Sarina Miller, as well as his brother, Phil Volman.