Mark Volman, co-founder of the 1960s pop-rock band The Turtles and half of the musical duo Flo & Eddie, died September 5, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee, after a brief, unexpected illness. He was 78.
Volman’s attorney Evan Cohen confirmed the death in a Facebook post on September 5, stating that Volman had been battling Lewy body dementia since his diagnosis in 2020. The musician had publicly revealed his diagnosis in 2023 while promoting his memoir “Happy Forever: My Musical Adventures with the Turtles, Frank Zappa, T. Rex, Flo & Eddie, and More.”
Born in Los Angeles on April 19, 1947, Volman grew up in the Westchester neighborhood in a musical household. He attended Westchester High School, where his classmates included comedian Phil Hartman and Manson Family member Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme. During high school in 1963, Volman joined his classmate Howard Kaylan’s band The Crossfires, which was later renamed The Turtles in 1965.
The Turtles achieved mainstream success with their cover of Bob Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me Babe,” which reached the Billboard Top 10 in summer 1965. The band’s founding lineup featured Kaylan on lead vocals, Volman on backup vocals, Al Nichol on lead guitar, Don Murray on drums, Chuck Portz on bass, and Jim Tucker on rhythm guitar.
The group found peak popularity in the late 1960s with hits including “She’d Rather Be with Me,” “You Know What I Mean,” “She’s My Girl,” and “Elenore.” Their most iconic song, “Happy Together,” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in spring 1967, spending three weeks at the summit. The song was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007.
Over their career, The Turtles notched 17 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned five top 10 hits. The band’s album “The Turtles! Golden Hits” reached the top 10 on the Billboard 200 in February 1968. One of their most creative works was 1968’s “The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands,” a concept album where the group adopted different musical styles for each track.
The Turtles disbanded in 1970 amid problems with their management and record label. Following a bitter legal battle with their former label White Whale, which left them without rights to perform as The Turtles or use their own names, Volman and Kaylan formed the duo Flo & Eddie. The name originated from their time with Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention, where they performed as “Phlorescent Leech & Eddie.”
As Flo & Eddie, the duo became successful session musicians and touring performers. They provided backing vocals for numerous high-profile artists including Bruce Springsteen on “Hungry Heart,” T. Rex on “Bang a Gong (Get It On),” and Duran Duran. They also created music for children’s television shows, notably “Strawberry Shortcake,” and toured extensively with Alice Cooper and other acts.
Volman and Kaylan demonstrated sharp business acumen following their early legal troubles. When they discovered that The Turtles’ “You Showed Me” had been sampled on De La Soul’s 1989 debut album “3 Feet High and Rising,” they sued for $2.5 million in damages. The case was settled out of court, reportedly awarding them $1.7 million, and effectively ended the golden age of sampling in hip-hop.
In his late 40s, Volman returned to education, enrolling at Loyola Marymount University. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1997 and completed a master of fine arts with emphasis in screenwriting in 1999. Subsequently, he began teaching music business courses at the college level.
From 2005 to 2019, Volman served as a professor at Belmont University in Nashville, where he was known as “Professor Flo” and coordinated the Entertainment Industry Studies Program. His passion for education extended beyond the classroom, as he allowed students to travel with him on the Happy Together Tour to gain hands-on experience in production and the entertainment industry.
Belmont University Dean Brittany Schaffer noted that Volman challenged students to think critically about the entertainment business while encouraging them to find joy in the creative process. The university’s connection to Volman was particularly evident during basketball games, where “Happy Together” was played at every home game in the Curb Event Center, prompting students to wrap their arms around each other and sway together while singing.
Despite his dementia diagnosis, Volman continued performing through the early stages of his illness. He headlined the annual Happy Together Tour, a 1960s music festival, while Kaylan had stopped touring due to his own health issues. Volman expressed to People magazine: “I feel good. My friends are here. I’m still here.”
Volman was married to his high school sweetheart Patricia Lee Hickey from 1967 to 1992, and they had two daughters, Sarina Marie and Hallie Rae Volman. He remarried Emily Volman in 2000 before divorcing in 2015. He is survived by his significant other Emily Volman, ex-wife Pat Volman, daughters Hallie Volman and Sarina Miller, and brother Phil Volman.
