Sonny Curtis

US American singer-songwriter and guitarist.

Born May 9, 1937 in Meadow, Texas, USA.

Died September 19, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

A prolific figure in both rock ’n’ roll and country music, Sonny Curtis began his career performing with Buddy Holly and the Crickets, contributing to the 1957 hit “That’ll Be the Day.” He was the composer of enduring classics like “I Fought the Law,” “Walk Right Back” and “Love Is All Around,” the theme for “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” which he also sang. Throughout a seven-decade career, Curtis wrote hundreds of songs recorded by artists such as the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, the Bobby Fuller Four, and Bruce Springsteen. Renowned for his seamless blending of genres and understated influence, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the Crickets in 2012. Though never a household name, Curtis’s songs became staples of both pop and country, and he was respected for his artistry and ability to thrive in the music industry while living a grounded, private life.