Sonny Curtis, Crickets Member Who Wrote the Theme for ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show,’ Dies at 88

Sonny Curtis, a seminal figure in early rock who wrote the enduring anthem “I Fought the Law” and composed the warm, enduring theme for The Mary Tyler Moore Show, has died at the age of 88.

His passing on Friday, Sept. 19 was confirmed by his wife of more than 50 years, Louise Curtis. Their daughter, Sarah Curtis, posted that he had fallen suddenly ill, according to the family statement.

Curtis — who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Crickets in 2012 — left a far-reaching legacy as a writer and performer. His catalog spans country hits, pop standards and television themes, and has been interpreted by artists across genres.

Raised near Meadow, Texas, during the Great Depression, Curtis grew up alongside Buddy Holly. He was active in the formative rock scene of the 1950s, playing with Holly and opening for a young Elvis Presley while Elvis was still a regional sensation. Even before his 20th birthday Curtis had already penned songs for other artists, including Webb Pierce and early material for Holly.

Although he left the Crickets before Holly’s breakout fame, Curtis rejoined the group after Holly’s death and appeared on the 1960 album In Style with the Crickets. That record included “I Fought the Law,” a song Curtis reportedly wrote quickly and without a single, clear source of inspiration, and the Allison collaboration “More Than I Can Say,” later a hit for Bobby Vee and Leo Sayer.

The tune didn’t become a nationwide staple until the mid-1960s, when the Bobby Fuller Four took it into the Top 10. From punk to country and classic rock, generations of artists have adopted the song — notable covers include versions by the Clash, Johnny Cash, Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen.

Beyond that anthem, Curtis wrote or co-wrote hundreds of songs recorded by a diverse array of performers — from Bing Crosby, Glen Campbell and Bruce Springsteen to the Grateful Dead and country artists such as Keith Whitley. His compositions ranged from intimate ballads to radio-ready hits and commercial jingles.

In 1970, while working on commercial music, Curtis composed the tune that would become television’s most recognizable workplace theme. Initially titled “Love Is All Around,” the bright, optimistic melody and reworked lyrics captured the tone of a sitcom about a young woman finding her place in Minneapolis — and the refrain reassures, “You’re going to make it after all.” Curtis recorded two versions; the second, subtler vocal became the show’s signature for most of its run.

Curtis recorded several solo albums, including Sonny Curtis and Spectrum, and enjoyed chart success in country music with the 1981 single “Good Ol’ Girls.” He continued to perform with Jerry Allison and fellow Crickets members for decades. The Crickets’ later projects included collaborations with high-profile guests such as Eric Clapton, Graham Nash and Phil Everly.

He settled in Nashville in the mid-1970s with his wife and was honored by the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1991. As part of The Crickets he was later inducted into Nashville’s Musicians Hall of Fame and, in 2012, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where the group was lauded for laying “the blueprint for rock and roll bands.”

Curtis’ songwriting quietly shaped popular music across decades: a writer comfortable moving between country, pop and television who left an unmistakable mark on American songcraft.