Mark Volman, co -founder of The Turtles and a member of bands like Flo & Eddie and The Mothers of Invention, has died at 78 years after a “brief” and “unexpected” disease. Rolling Stone has confirmed the news. Volman had also been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies in 2020, but remained on tour until he revealed his diagnosis in 2023.
In his stage with The Turtles, the American artist got 17 entries in the Billboard Hot 100, in addition to 5 hits in the Top 10. Among them, ‘She’d rather be with me’, ‘You Showed Me’ and ‘Happy Together’, the best known song of his discography.
According to Volman’s words, ‘Happy Together’ slowly climbed the lists of successes, taking “three or four weeks to enter the top 20.” However, on March 25, 1969, he unseat The Beatles and his’ Penny Lane ‘of the number 1 of Hot 100, a position in which he remained for three weeks until’ Subthin ‘Stupid’ by Frank and Nancy Sinatra broke into the list.
After The Turtles, during the 70s, both Volman and singer Howard Kaylan were recruited by Frank Zappa for the band The Mothers of Invention. At the same time, they acted under the name of Flo & Eddie, appearing in numerous television programs. In addition, they lent secondary voices for some of the most important artists in the world, such as John Lennon and Yoko Ono, T.rex or Bruce Springsteen.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq3Awldqavohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_3aq5orils
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. pic.twitter.com/g6xqsgu1d
– Danny Deraney (@dannyderaney) SEPTEMBER 5, 2025
RIP Mark Volman
The Turtles, Flo & Eddie, The Mothers of Invention.
What A Talent, What A Guy.“Elenore”@Newwaveandpunk @prodnose @MAKINGTIME60S @Crowleyonair pic.twitter.com/0qibfanlpf
– Nik D (@nikidoog) SEPTEMBER 5, 2025
