Mark Volman, co-founder of Turtles and Flo & Eddie, dies at 78

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Mark Volman, one of the founding members and vocalist of the lively ’60s sensation, The Turtles, as well as one-half of the amusing duo Flo & Eddie, passed away. He was 78 years old.

2023 saw confirmation of the passing of Volman, as per representatives, due to an abrupt, unforeseen health issue. Previously in 2020, Volman had been diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia; however, he persisted with touring and disclosed his condition only three years later.

In the year 2023, when discussing his memoir titled “Happy Forever: My Musical Adventures with the Turtles, Frank Zappa, T. Rex, Flo & Eddie, and More”, Volman chose to share his 2020 diagnosis of Lewy body dementia. This condition gradually impairs cognitive functions such as reasoning, memory, and movement.

According to an article in People magazine, Volman came to terms with his situation when he realized it would bring about a significant change in his life: “I acknowledged the fact that this was going to open up a whole new chapter for me. And I thought, ‘Whatever happens will happen, but I’m willing to go as far as I can.’

In simpler terms, Howard Kaylan was not only a bandmate but also a long-term creative collaborator of Volman in both The Turtles and Flo & Eddie. Sharing an affinity for catchy tunes, popular trends, and irrepressible humor, Volman and Kaylan successfully adapted to the shifting cultural landscape of the 1960s. They transformed The Turtles from a successful surf-rock group into psychedelic enthusiasts during this period.

In the mid-60s, this band found their prime, honing their unique blend of folk-rock from Southern California and demonstrating a keen understanding of studio techniques. This resulted in popular songs like “Happy Together,” “She’d Rather Be With Me,” “Elenore,” and “You Showed Me.” They became a favorite among mainstream audiences, even being adored by President Nixon’s daughter Tricia, who invited them to perform at the White House in 1970. Yet, they subtly catered to more sophisticated listeners as well.

In my humble opinion, as I sat down to enjoy a nostalgic trip with The Turtles’ 1968 masterpiece “The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands,” it became evident that these musicians were far from ordinary. On occasion, they displayed an intelligence that seemed to outshine their contemporaries, subtly demonstrating their brilliance without ever feeling pretentious.

This album is no ordinary collection of tracks; instead, it’s a conceptual journey where The Turtles seamlessly morph into various personae and musical styles for each song, creating a unique and captivating listening experience.

During this time, Volman and Kaylan took advantage of this unique situation by adopting a new name – Flo & Eddie – following a contentious legal dispute with their previous record label. The name change was necessary because they no longer had the rights to perform as the Turtles or under their own names. In the aftermath, Frank Zappa extended an invitation for Flo & Eddie to join his band, the Mothers of Invention. This opportunity provided a significant boost and paved the way for a long-lasting career for the duo.

As a devoted contributor, I’ve been recognized for my knack in delivering harmonious backing to renowned acts throughout my career. For instance, I had the pleasure of touring with Alice Cooper and lending my voice to T. Rex’s iconic glam album “Electric Warrior”. When Bruce Springsteen sought a Beach Boys-like harmony for his hit single “Hungry Heart”, I was the one he called.

Beyond this, Volman and Kaylan, my fellow performers, also focused on honing our comedic act within music. We eventually expanded our performance to radio broadcasts, and after regaining the rights to the Turtles name, we took our oldies show on tour, continuing well into the 2010s.

Instead of most elderly bands, Volman and Kaylan demonstrated keen business acumen following a contentious split with their label, White Whale. Once they recovered their master tapes, they granted licenses to reissue companies for their catalog, always staying alert about how their music was being distributed in the marketplace.

Upon discovering that De La Soul’s 1989 debut album, “3 Feet High and Rising,” included a significant sample from The Turtles’ “You Showed Me,” without proper permission, the duo initiated a lawsuit against the rap pioneers for $2.5 million in compensatory and penalty damages. This legal dispute was resolved privately, with Volman and Kaylan emerging victorious; details of the settlement were not made public, but it was reported that they received approximately $1.7 million in compensation. This lawsuit, and its aftermath, are said to have marked the end of the golden era of sampling in hip-hop.

Raised amidst the melodies of Los Angeles in Westchester, I, born April 19, 1947, was nurtured in a house where music reigned supreme. Young and bright, my antics often left family members amazed and amused. My aunt Ann Becker vividly remembers our conversations, sharing in “Happy Forever”: “I can recall my mother marveling at me, saying ‘That boy is so intelligent – he doesn’t have to be so playful.’

When Volman joined Westchester High, he found himself in the company of comedian Phil Hartman and infamous cult member Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme. It was around this time that his interests began to lean towards the unconventional and humorous.

Encountering Kaylan, a transplant from New York, within the choir, Volman swiftly found himself joining the Crossfires band. He played saxophone alongside his new acquaintance Kaylan in their surf-rock group. Prior to signing with White Whale Records in 1965, The Crossfires had already released two singles. As they started moving away from surf music towards folk-rock, Volman and Kaylan switched their roles from playing saxophones to lead vocals. When their new record label proposed a name change, the band members agreed; instead of adopting the stylized spelling of The Tyrtles, they opted for the more common name, The Turtles.

Drawing inspiration from The Byrds’ popular rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man,” The Turtles produced an energetic cover of “It Ain’t Me Babe” that perfectly captured the spirit of the times, peaking at number ten on the Billboard charts during the summer of 1965. Remarkably, Mark Volman, who was still in high school and graduated in February 1965, found himself touring in June with a top-ten hit single and performing on the Dick Clark Show.

Two lively follow-ups, “Let Me Be” and “You Baby,” managed to keep the band in the Top 40 until 1966, but the Turtles’ successful run started to dwindle as a string of singles, such as Warren Zevon’s “Outside Chance” composition, barely made an impact on the charts. However, the group’s resurgence was sparked by “Happy Together,” a song initially turned down by several pop bands, which regained their popularity due in part to an outstanding arrangement orchestrated by new bassist Chip Douglas.

1967 saw “Happy Together” climbing to the top of music charts, establishing itself as an iconic tune of its time. This song was frequently used in advertisements and films. Remarkably, this hit propelled The Turtles back into prominence, keeping them in the upper echelons of the charts from 1967 until 1969. During this period, they released additional hits like “She’d Rather Be With Me” and “Elenore.

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The Turtles, who were already the standout act on the smaller scale White Whale label, faced demands to produce more commercially viable music from the label. However, Volman and Kaylan persistently encouraged the band to create more hip music instead. When the idea of dismissing the rest of the Turtles was proposed by the label, the singers facilitated an agreement for the remaining three members to share songwriting credits on their album “The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands”, which they released following the success of “Happy Together.” For their last album, “Turtle Soup”, the Turtles enlisted Ray Davies as their producer. This was his first production venture outside his primary band, the Kinks.

In 1970, the conflict between the Turtles and the White Whale intensified, ultimately causing the band to dissolve. Due to this, the record label invoked a provision in their contract that prohibited the musicians from performing together or solo, thus halting Volman and Kaylan’s joint and individual activities. Subsequently, they chose to identify as the Phlorescent Leech & Eddie, a name later abbreviated to Flo & Eddie; with Volman being the ‘Phlorescent Leech,’ and Kaylan being simply ‘Eddie.’

As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I’d rephrase it like this: Not too long after the Turtles disbanded, Zappa welcomed me into his Mothers of Invention family. Together, we navigated an exhilarating year filled with unforgettable moments, one being a concert in Montreux, Switzerland, that culminated in an unfortunate fire. This incident was later immortalized by Deep Purple in their song “Smoke on the Water.

Since 1972, with “The Phlorescent Leech & Eddie,” Flo & Eddie embarked on a journey of releasing a string of humorous albums throughout the ’70s. However, they truly shone when they lent their harmonious voices to T. Rex and Cooper. Bruce Springsteen’s breakout hit “Hungry Heart” marked the end of this era for Flo & Eddie. In time, they chose to retire from the recording artist life, though they continued creating original music for animated TV shows like “Strawberry Shortcake” and “The Care Bears.” Yet, those iconic days of producing new Flo & Eddie tunes came to a close.

In my humble opinion, it was a momentous year when the dynamic duo, Volman and Kalyan, regained control over their cherished monikers. This long-awaited victory dates back to 1974, a pivotal year that saw them successfully bidding for the Turtles’ master recordings at the White Whale assets auction.

Approximately ten years later, they were given the opportunity to perform as The Turtles, alongside Flo & Eddie. This partnership remained until 2018 when Kaylan stepped down from touring. Since then, Ron Dante has filled in for Kaylan, with Volman continuing to perform as part of The Turtles on their regular Happy Together tours.

Even though Flo & Eddie were mainly known for their performances on the oldies scene, they didn’t completely disappear from contemporary music. In 1989, De La Soul used their song “You Showed Me” in their track “Transmitting Live From Mars,” but failed to get the necessary permissions before releasing it. As a result, Volman and Kaylan took legal action against De La Soul, successfully claiming a substantial settlement that set a significant precedent for sample clearance in hip-hop music.

In 2013, the pair initiated a significant lawsuit against Sirius XM due to their non-payment of sound recording royalties in California, New York, and Florida. A judge in California sided with the pair in 2014, while a judge in Florida favored Sirius XM in 2015. Despite reaching a settlement in 2016, subsequent legal appeals were won by Sirius XM in both Florida and California.

In 1992, Volman returned to education and enrolled for a bachelor’s degree at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He continued his academic journey at the same university, earning a master’s degree in screenwriting in 1999. Subsequently, he transitioned into teaching, eventually climbing the ranks to become an associate professor at Belmont University’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business, located in Nashville, Tennessee.

In surviving him are his two daughters, Sarina Marie and Hallie Rae, who were born from his marriage with Patricia Lee.

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2025-09-06 02:31