Best known for their 1967 single ‘Happy Together,’ singer and co-founder of The Turtles, Mark Volman passed away on Friday (9.05.) following a “brief, unexpected illness.”
Diagnosed in 2020 with Lewy body dementia, and going public with his condition in 2023, in a People magazine interview, the California-native said:
“I got hit by the knowledge that this was going to create a whole new part of my life. And I said, ‘Okay, whatever’s going to happen will happen, but I’ll go as far as I can.'” “The challenges of this world affect everybody, and it’s been kind of fun being on the other side of a challenge like this and saying, ‘I feel good.’ My friends are here. I’m still here. And I want people to connect with me.”
While in high school, Volman began his career in 1963 when he joined classmate Howard Kaylan’s band the Crossfires, that subsequently became The Turtles who had their first Top 10 hit in 1965 with a cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘It Ain’t Me Babe.’
Though The Turtler disbanded in 1970, Mark continued to work with Howard as the duo Flo + Eddie, touring with Frank Zappa and singing backing vocals for such superstars as Bruce Springsteen, Duran Duran and T. Rex.
In his 40s, the singer/songwriter received his master’s in screenwriting and went on to teach music at Belmont University in Nashville. And despite the symptoms of his condition – including tremors and hallucinations – Mark continued to perform on the annual Happy Together music tour that he and The Turtles (without Howard, who stopped performing due to health issues) headlined.
Mark Volman is survived by his daughters Sarina and Hallie, ex-wifes Patricia – the mother of his kids – and Emily Volman, and his brother Phil Volman.
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Author: Saul Goode
Photo: Hit Parader magazine – Public Domain