Sonny Curtis, Who Wrote ‘Mary Tyler Moore’ Theme, Dead at 88

Sonny Curtis, guitarist, songwriter, and longtime member of Buddy Holly’s band The Crickets, died Friday after a sudden illness. He was 88.

His daughter, Sarah Curtis, confirmed his death in a message posted on Facebook, writing, “I’m heartbroken to tell you that my dad Sonny passed away yesterday after a sudden illness. I’m so grateful that I was with him at the end, along with my mom. It was peaceful and he didn’t suffer.”

Born May 9, 1937, in Meadow, Texas, Sonny Curtis began playing guitar as a child, taught by his uncles who performed in the Mayfield Brothers band, the New York Post reported. By his mid-teens, he had joined Buddy Holly, performing in local groups and later recording with him on tracks including “Blue Days, Black Nights” and “Rock Around With Ollie Vee,” which Sonny Curtis wrote.