These men have sang for the Turtles and Flo & Eddie; was a trailblazing Italian clothes designer; won two World Series with the Baltimore Orioles, and later managed a winning World Series team; and was the Nashville pedal-steel “Man of Steel”, playing for Waylon Jennings and countless others.
Mark Volman
Mark Volman (Mark Randall Volman; April 19, 1947 – Friday, September 5, 2025) was a Los Angeles–born singer, songwriter, and educator whose frizzy-locked, high-energy voice and comic instincts made him one half of the pop-psych harmony that defined the Turtles and later the mischievous duo Flo & Eddie; raised in Westchester, California,
Volman got his start in the mid-1960s with the Crossfires (which evolved into the Turtles), helping create chart staples including “It Ain’t Me Babe,” “She’d Rather Be with Me,” and the perennial hit “Happy Together,” and after the Turtles’ breakup he and Howard Kaylan joined Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention and became sought-after backing vocalists for artists from T. Rex to Bruce Springsteen and Duran Duran. ; after decades on the road he returned to school in his 40s, earning a B.A. (magna cum laude, valedictorian).
Studio_Albums
Flo & Eddie
- The Phlorescent Leech & Eddie (1972)
- Flo & Eddie (1973)
- Illegal, Immoral and Fattening (1975)
- Flo & Eddie Interview with Barry Mann, Special Promotion Record for Radio Stations (1975)
- Moving Targets (1976)
- Rock Steady With Flo & Eddie (1981)
- The History of Flo & Eddie and the Turtles (1983)
- The Best of Flo & Eddie (1987)
- The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie Captured Live! (1992)
- New York “Times” (2009)
Film
- 200 Motels (1971) (members of the Mothers of Invention, special material)
- Down and Dirty Duck (1974) (voice work, music, additional story material)
- Texas Detour (1978) (music & lyrics)
- The World of Strawberry Shortcake (1980) (music)
- Strawberry Shortcake in Big Apple City (1981) (music)
- Strawberry Shortcake: Pets on Parade (1982) (music)
- Peter and the Magic Egg (1983) (music)
- Top Secret! (1984) (lyrics & special material)
- The Care Bears (1985) (TV series) (music)
- The Adventures of the American Rabbit (1986) (music)
- The True Story of Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels (1989) (as themselves)
He then earned a M.F.A. in screenwriting from Loyola Marymount University in the late 1990s, and went on to teach and later coordinate entertainment-industry studies at Belmont University (and teach at institutions including Los Angeles Valley College), where students knew him as “Professor Flo”;
Volman weathered a public battle with throat cancer (declared cancer-free in 2016) and disclosed a diagnosis of Lewy body dementia in 2023, yet continued performing into the 2020s; he died in Nashville on Friday, September 5, 2025, following a brief, unexpected illness and is survived by his partner Emily Volman, his
daughters (including Hallie and Sarina), brother Phil Volman, and other family and long-time collaborators — remembered by peers for his goofy stage persona, his fiercely protective work on artists’ rights, his memoir Happy Forever (2023), and a career that bridged 1960s pop, 1970s zany countercultural work, and decades of mentoring young musicians.
Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani (July 11, 1934–September 4, 2025) was the trailblazing Italian designer from Piacenza whose minimalist tailoring—born of a post-war eye, a stint as a military hospital orderly, and formative years dressing windows at La Rinascente.
He redefined modern luxury with unstructured jackets, fluid menswear-inspired womenswear, and a global brand spanning couture, ready-to-wear, home, beauty, hotels, and sports; he kept control of his privately held group while creating the Giorgio Armani Foundation to guide its future and philanthropy; a towering influence in film costuming
and red-carpet culture, he died on a Thursday (September 4, 2025) and is survived by his sister Rosanna and extended family, with stewardship of the company anchored in his foundation.
Davey Johnson
Davey Johnson (January 30, 1943–September 5, 2025) was the cerebral second baseman turned manager who won two World Series with the Baltimore Orioles (1966, 1970), made four All-Star teams and earned three Gold Gloves as a player, then led the swaggering 1986 New York Mets to a championship and later managed the Reds, Orioles, Dodgers, and Nationals, winning Manager of the Year in both leagues (1997 AL, 2012 NL).
A Trinity University mathematics graduate and early analytics evangelist, licensed pilot and scuba instructor, Johnson died on a Friday (September 5, 2025) in Sarasota after a long illness and is survived by his wife, Susan; he was predeceased by his daughter Andrea.
Robby Turner
Robby Turner (1962/63–September 4, 2025) was the Nashville pedal-steel “Man of Steel,” born to Doyle and Bernice Turner—alumni of Hank Williams’ Drifting Cowboys—who was gigging on drums by age nine (Wilburn Brothers) before becoming a first-call steel player for Waylon Jennings (including with the Highwaymen), Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, John Prine, Vince Gill, Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson and many more.
Solo_Albums
- 1996: Man of Steel (self-released)
- 1998: Steel Country (self-released)
With_Waylon_Jennings
- 1976: Wanted! The Outlaws (RCA) with Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser reissued in 1996
- 1992: Too Dumb for New York City, Too Ugly for L.A. (Epic)
- 1994: Waymore’s Blues (Part II) (RCA)
- 1996: Right for the Time (Justice)
- 1998: Closing In on the Fire (ARK 21)
- 1998: Cowboys, Sisters, Rascals & Dirt (RCA Nashville)
- 2007: Never Say Die: The Final Concert (Legacy)
- 2008: Waylon Forever (Vagrant) with The .357s
- 2012: Goin’ Down Rockin’: The Last Recordings (Saguaro Road)
Appears_On
- 1990: The Highwaymen – Highwayman 2 (Columbia Nashville)
- 1992: Toy Caldwell – Toy Caldwell (Cabin Fever)
- 1993: Gin Blossoms – New Miserable Experience (A&M)
- 1993: Willie Nelson – Across the Borderline (Columbia)
- 1994: Vince Gill – When Love Finds You (MCA)
- 1995: The Highwaymen – The Road Goes on Forever (Capitol / EMI)
- 1995: Jerry Lee Lewis – Young Blood (Sire)
- 1996: Jeff Foxworthy – Crank It Up: The Music Album (Warner Bros.)
- 1996: Jim Lauderdale – Persimmons (Upstart)
- 1996: Riders in the Sky – Public Cowboy #1: The Music of Gene Autry (Rounder)
- 1996: Travis Tritt – The Restless Kind (Warner Bros.)
- 1997: Kieran McGee – Left for Dead (Clean Cuts)
- 1997: John Prine – Live on Tour (Oh Boy)
- 1997: Tanya Tucker – Complicated (Capitol Nashville)
- 1997: Chely Wright – Let Me In (MCA Nashville)
- 1998: Tracy Byrd – I’m from the Country (MCA)
- 1998: Deryl Dodd – Deryl Dodd (Columbia)
- 1998: Jim Lauderdale – Whisper (BNA)
- 1998: The Mavericks – Trampoline (MCA)
- 1998: Riders in the Sky – Yodel the Cowboy Way (Easydisc)
- 1998: Travis Tritt – No More Looking Over My Shoulder (Warner Bros.)
- 1999: David Ball – Play (Warner Bros.)
- 1999: Matt King – Hard Country (Atlantic)
- 1999: Chely Wright – Single White Female (MCA Nashville)
- 2000: Sara Evans – Born To Fly (RCA)
- 2000: Jim Lauderdale – The Other Sessions (Dualtone)
- 2000: Randy Travis – Inspirational Journey (Word / Warner Bros. Nashville / Curb)
- 2000: Wylie and the Wild West – Ridin’ the Hi-Line (Rounder)
- 2001: Gary Allan – Alright Guy (MCA Nashville)
- 2001: Rodney Crowell – The Houston Kid (Sugar Hill)
- 2001: Billy Gilman – Dare To Dream (Epic)
- 2001: Charlie Robison – Step Right Up (Columbia / Lucky Dog)
- 2002: Bonnie Bramlett – I’m Still the Same (Audium / Koch)
- 2002: Mark Chesnutt – Mark Chesnutt (Columbia)
- 2002: Andy Griggs – Freedom (RCA Nashville)
- 2002: Pam Tillis – It’s All Relative: Tillis Sings Tillis (Epic / Lucky Dog)
- 2003: Dixie Chicks – Top of the World Tour: Live (Monument / Columbia)
- 2003: Gary Allan – See if I Care (MCA Nashville)
- 2003: Rodney Carrington – Nut Sack (Liberty)
- 2003: Keith Norris – Deuce (Tektonic)
- 2003: Marty Stuart – Country Music (Columbia)
- 2004: Travis Tritt – My Honky Tonk History (Columbia)
- 2005: Claudia Church – Claudia Church (Reprise)
- 2005: Shelby Lynne – Suit Yourself (Capitol)
- 2005: Willie Nelson – Countryman (Lost Highway)
- 2005: Joe Nichols – III (Universal South)
- 2005: Tanya Tucker – Live at Billy Bob’s Texas (Smith Music Group)
- 2006: Shooter Jennings – Electric Rodeo (Universal)
- 2006: Jim Lauderdale – Country Super Hits, Vol. 1 (Yep Roc)
- 2006: Tony Joe White – Uncovered (Swamp)
- 2007: Gary Allan – Living Hard (MCA Nashville)
- 2007: Steve Forbert – Strange Names and New Sensations (429)
- 2008: Jamey Johnson – That Lonesome Song (Mercury)
- 2008: The Wrights – The Wrights (Mailboat)
- 2009: Among the Oak & Ash – Among the Oak & Ash (Verve Forecast)
- 2009: Steve Forbert – The Place and the Time (429)
- 2009: Zona Jones – Prove Me Right (Rocky Comfort)
- 2009: The Oak Ridge Boys – The Boys are Back (Spring Hill)
- 2010: Shooter Jennings – Black Ribbons (Black Country Rock)
- 2010: John Francis – The Better Angels (Dualtone)
- 2010: The Secret Sisters – The Secret Sisters (Universal Republic)
- 2010: Marty Stuart – Ghost Train: The Studio B Sessions (Sugar Hill)
- 2010: Jonalee White – Sugar (Lick)
- 2011: Nikki Lane – Walk of Shame (IAmSound)
- 2011: Jeffrey Steele – Hell on Wheels (3 Ring Circus)
- 2012: Billy Don Burns – Nights When I’m Sober: Portrait of a Honky Tonk Singer (Rusty Knuckles)
- 2012: Marty Stuart – Nashville, Vol. 1: Tear the Woodpile Down (Sugar Hill)
- 2013: Sturgill Simpson – High Top Mountain (High Top Mountain)
- 2014: Whiskey Myers – Early Morning Shakes (Wiggy Thump)
- 2015: Honeyhoney – 3 (Rounder)
- 2015: Chris Stapleton – Traveller (Mercury Nashville)
- 2015: Yelawolf – Love Story (Interscope)
- 2016: The Burns Sisters – In This World (Philo)
- 2016: Loretta Lynn – Full Circle (Legacy)
- 2017: Gin Blossoms – Congratulations I’m Sorry (A&M)
- 2017: Chris Stapleton – From A Room: Volume 1 (Mercury Nashville)
- 2017: Colter Wall – Colter Wall (Thirty Tigers)
He also produced at his Turner-Up Recording studio and kept the instrument’s soulful voice at the center of modern country; Turner died on a Thursday (September 4, 2025) and is survived by his family and a wide musical community.
Videos
Further Reading
Sources
- Wikipedia “Mark Volman” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Volman
- Wikipedia “Giorgio Armani” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giorgio_Armani
- Wikipedia “Davey Johnson” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davey_Johnson
- Wikipedia “Robby Turner” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robby_Turner
- Variety “Mark Volman, Turtles and Flo & Eddie Co-Founder and Singer on ‘Happy Together,’ Dies at 78” https://variety.com/2025/music/news/mark-volman-dead-turtles-happy-together-1236509450/
- People “Giorgio Armani, Legendary Italian Fashion Designer, Dies at 91” https://people.com/giorgio-armani-italian-fashion-designer-dead-11803245
- ZARTONK “Fashion Legend Giorgio Armani, of Armenian Descent, Passes Away in Milan at 91” https://zartonkmedia.com/2025/09/04/fashion-legend-giorgio-armani-of-armenian-descent-passes-away-in-milan-at-91/
- MLB “Davey Johnson, 1986 Mets manager and 4-time All-Star, passes away at 82” https://www.mlb.com/news/davey-johnson-passes-away-at-82
- Saving Country Music ““Man of Steel” Robby Turner Has Passed Away” https://savingcountrymusic.com/man-of-steel-robby-turner-has-passed-away/
