Mark Volman, founding member of the ’60s rock band The Turtles, has died at age 78.
Mark Volman — founding member of the ’60s rock band The Turtles — has died at age 78.
The musician passed away on Sept. 5 following a “brief, unexpected illness” in Nashville, Tenn., his rep said in a statement to People.
His rep was not immediately available for comment.
The Turtles became a hit 60 years ago when the band scored their first Top 10 smash with their own version of Bob Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me Babe” in 1965.
The rock group, first known as the Crossfires, was formed by Volman and his schoolmate Howard Kaylan.
The band went on to have several other successes, including “You Baby” (1966), “Happy Together” (1967), “She’d Rather Be with Me” (1967), “Elenore” (1968), and “You Showed Me” (1969), which all broke into the Top 40 list.
Their biggest and only number one hit was “Happy Together.”
Their commercial success started trailing off soon after, and The Turtles split up in 1970.
But Volman and Kaylan’s musical careers weren’t over yet.
After The Turtles’ breakup, the buddies formed the rock duo Flo & Eddie and went on to tour with Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention.
