Mark Volman, the Turtles co-founder who sang ‘Happy Together’, dies at 78

Mark Volman, co-founder of the 1960s pop group The Turtles and the voice behind the band’s chart-topping hit “Happy Together”, died at the age of 78 on Friday, September 5, in Nashville after a brief and unexpected illness, his representative confirmed to People.

Volman is survived by his partner, Emily Volman; his ex-wife, Pat Volman; their daughters, Hallie Volman and Sarina Miller; and his brother, Phil Volman.

Volman’s music career began in 1963 while still in high school, when he and classmate Howard Kaylan formed a band called the Crossfires. Renamed The Turtles, the group broke into the charts in 1965 with their version of Bob Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me Babe”. They went on to score major hits with songs like “Happy Together” and “Elenore”, with Volman instantly recognizable for his curly hair and wide grin.


Following The Turtles’ breakup in 1970, Volman and Kaylan reinvented themselves as the duo Flo & Eddie. They toured with Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention and went on to provide backing vocals for artists including T. Rex, Duran Duran, and Bruce Springsteen.

In his 40s, Volman earned a master's in screenwriting at Loyola Marymount University and went on to teach music at Belmont University in Nashville.

How did Mark Volman die?

Volman was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia (LBD) in 2020, which he revealed to People in 2023. LBD is a progressive neurological disorder that causes hallucinations, tremors, and difficulty concentrating. Despite this, he continued to participate in the annual "Happy Together" oldies tours in the years that followed. However, the exact cause of his death remains unknown. LBD is caused by a buildup of proteins in the brain, and it affects memory, movement and thinking.

In his final Instagram post in January, Volman asked his followers to stay strong and come together amid the destructive wildfires.