By Greg Evans, Deadline | Mark Volman, a founding member of the 1960s pop group The Turtles whose bright harmonies fueled such hits “It Ain’t Me Babe,” “You Baby,” “She’d Rather Be with Me,” “Elenore” and the band’s signature chart topper “Happy Together,” died today in Nashville following a brief, unexpected illness. He was 78.
Volman revealed in 2023 that he had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia in 2020, but he continued to perform on the annual “Happy Together” oldies tours in the years that followed.
Alongside his Turtles partner Howard Kaylan, Vollman followed up the Turtles first burst of fame by reinventing themselves in 1970 as Flo & Eddie. Their stage show was marked by the duo’s humorous antics, Volman’s untamed mop of curly hair and, always, their distinctive vocal harmonies. They toured with Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention, provided the instantly recognizable background vocals on various songs from T. Rex including the U.S. hit “Bang a Gong (Get It On),” and even wrote for the children’s television show Strawberry Shortcake. In 2024, Camila Cabello who used their song “Keep It Warm” in her hit single, “I Luv It.”
Kaylan retired in 2018 due to health issues, leaving Volman as the last original Turtles member performing with the band.
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Read more of Mr. Volman’s bio here:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/mark-volman-dies-founding-member-of-hit-making-60s-pop-group-the-turtles-was-78/
Photo: Mark Volman | From Fan Out Magazine, Facebook