Sonny Curtis, Writer of ‘I Fought the Law’ and the ‘Mary Tyler Moore Show’ Theme, Dies at 88

Sonny Curtis, the celebrated songwriter behind enduring classics such as "I Fought the Law," "Walk Right Back," and the beloved "Love Is All Around" theme from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," passed away Friday at age 88 following a short illness. His daughter confirmed the news in an online tribute.

Growing up in a musically rich Texas environment, Curtis met Buddy Holly when he was just 15. They quickly formed a band that went on to open for icons like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. Curtis also lent his guitar skills to several of Holly’s studio tracks. After Holly’s tragic death in the 1959 plane crash—a moment later immortalized in Don McLean’s "American Pie"—Curtis stepped in as the new lead singer for the Crickets.

While serving in the Army, Curtis wrote "Walk Right Back" during basic training. Bandmate Jerry Allison, who was then performing with the Everly Brothers, shared the song with the duo, who transformed it into a chart-topping success. However, his most universally recognized work remains "Love Is All Around." Commissioned to write the theme for "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," Curtis captured the essence of an independent woman with lyrics that struck a chord: “How will you make it on your own? … this world is awfully big, and this time you’re all alone.” Airing from 1970 to 1977, the show turned the song into a cultural phenomenon.

Although "Love Is All Around" reached a vast audience, "I Fought the Law" may be his most lasting anthem. First recorded by the Crickets, it became a hit for the Bobby Fuller Four and was later adopted as a punk staple by the Clash. As music historian Dr. Elena Moss noted, “Curtis had a rare gift for crafting songs that felt both personal and endlessly reinterpretable, inviting artists across genres to claim them as their own.”

Curtis continued his musical career for many years, achieving later acclaim with songs like Keith Whitley’s "I’m No Stranger to the Rain" and Glen Campbell’s "The Straight Life." Inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1991, he leaves a legacy of genre-spanning work that has resonated across multiple generations, securing his place among America’s most talented and adaptable songwriters.