NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Mark Volman, one of the original members of the 1960s pop band The Turtles, known for songs like “Happy Together” and “Elenore,” has passed away in Nashville at the age of 78. His publicist, Ame Van Iden, stated that his death followed a short, unforeseen illness.
Volman was recognized for his lively performances and unique voice. In a 1967 YouTube clip of “Happy Together,” he can be seen dressed in bright orange, energetically dancing with a French horn, which he whimsically places on bandmate Howard Kaylan’s head, rather than playing it.
Emily Volman, his partner, shared on his official Instagram that Volman humorously wished the announcement of his passing would read, “‘Teen Idol Dead, Drugs Suspected’.”
“I messed up!” she posted. “Sorry, honey.”
She described him as a “magical man” who was “goofy and happy and funny and smart and generous and kind and talented and gentle and creative and thoughtful and hardworking and tough and unique.”
The Turtles disbanded in 1970 following a contentious split with their record label, which prevented the members from performing under their own names. As a result, Volman and Kaylan rebranded themselves as the duo Flo & Eddie, gaining fame for their comedic and adaptable style. They toured with Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention, contributed background vocals for Bruce Springsteen, and composed music for TV shows such as Strawberry Shortcake.
“Always funny, always upbeat, and a spirited and inventive performer, we will miss him greatly,” wrote Evan Cohen, Volman’s attorney and longtime friend, on Facebook. He mentioned that Volman and Kaylan became role models by championing musicians’ rights to their recordings and band names. Eventually, they regained their rights to The Turtles’ music and name and resumed touring.
During a “Happy Together” tour in 2011, Volman told The Daily Republic that he constantly heard stories from people about what the hit song meant to them, including many people who played the tune at their weddings.
“That one song changed our entire future forever,” Volman said. “We were very fortunate to be part of a song that has such staying power. That song has really become part of the American life of so many people.”
A “borderline C” student in high school who figured he would do sheet-metal work like his father if his band didn’t take off, Volman enrolled in college at age 45 after visiting a school with his older daughter. He eventually earned a master’s degree and started teaching music business, landing at Belmont University in Nashville in 2005. He would even take students on tour with him as part of his classes, giving them firsthand experience in tour management, stage management, audio engineering and tour accounting.
Speaking about the decision to teach, Volman told the Nashville Scene at the time, “Successful artists are few and far between, and I wanted to attach an element of reality to things. Failure is an option, a good option because it teaches you to pick yourself up. Just because you put out a record that doesn’t succeed, that doesn’t make it a bad record.”
In 2023, he published his memoir, “Happy Forever: My Musical Adventures With The Turtles, Frank Zappa, T. Rex, Flo & Eddie, and More.”
Volman was diagnosed in 2020 with Lewy body dementia, but he continued to perform on annual “Happy Together” tours in the years that followed. He publicly revealed his diagnosis in 2023.
He is survived by Emily Volman; his ex-wife, Pat Volman; and their daughters, Hallie Volman and Sarina Miller; and his brother, Phil Volman.
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Sejal Govindarao contributed from Phoenix.
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