Rocker Mark Volman has died at the age of 78 after a “brief, unexpected illness”.
The US musician was a co-founding member of the 1960s band The Turtles, who scored several hits in the latter half of the sixties, such as It Ain’t Me Babe, Happy Together and You Baby. He was also part of the 1970s rock duo Flo & Eddie with Turtles bandmate Howard Kaylan, and a part of Frank Zappa’s band The Mothers of Invention.
Volman died on Friday (September 5) in Nashville, Tennessee, a spokesperson told People. Volman was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia in 2020 and opened up about his experiences with tremors and hallucinations.
Tributes to the star have poured in from fans and his friends in the industry. Emmy-winning publicist Danny Deraney wrote on X: “We’ve lost our Flo. Rest in Peace Mark Volman. Such an incredible talent with The Turtles and The Mothers of Invention.
“Mark could play almost any instrument and without a doubt is the prototype of being the original hype man in modern music.”
TV writer David Wild said: “Whether he was with The Turtles or Flo & Eddie, if we were listening to him, we were all Happy Together.”
One fan commented: “Sorry to hear that Mark Volman has left us. The Turtles helped spearhead a fine era of feelgood pop w/ hits such as She’d Rather Be With Me & Happy Together. The vocals on this for me are unbeatable – Turtles at their most majestic.”
Another wrote: “Absolutely gutted to hear of the passing of Mark Volman (a.k.a. – Flo, or, The Phlorescent Leech) this morning–to Lewy Body Dementia, no less (which my father lapsed into in his final month or two). I spent a few months of my sophomore year of high school playing the old Rhino Records Turtles 20 Greatest Hits compilation right into the ground, then proceeding to go down the Turtles/Flo & Eddie rabbit hole.
“Indeed, Flo & Eddie’s “Moving Targets” LP (which was a huge find for me at the time) was my musical manifesto for a long time, which, in fact, I’m spinning right now in honor. Proof that the nerds can rock…and be hilarious…and still give some valuable life and business lessons. R.I.P. good leech sir.”
Volman opened up about his Lewy body dementia diagnosis in 2023. He had been experiencing hallucinations, tremors and struggles with concentration, but he didn’t let it stop him from living his life to the fullest.
He continued to tour and released a new book, titled: “Happy Forever: My Musical Adventures With The Turtles, Frank Zappa, T. Rex, Flo & Eddie, and More.”
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