Sonny Curtis, Buddy Holly collaborator and ‘I Fought The Law’ songwriter, dies aged 88

Sonny Curtis, the songwriter and former member of Buddy Holly’s band The Crickets, has died at the age of 88.

The news was confirmed by Curtis’ daughter Sarah on Saturday (September 20), who wrote: “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”.

“He was 88 and he lived a more exceptional life than anyone I’d ever met. He made a mark on this world, and he made a mark on the hearts of all who knew him. It’s a sad day, but what a life. May we look at his life with joy rather than sadness. He would have wanted that.”

In Memoriam: 2012 Inductee Sonny Curtis joined the Crickets after Buddy Holly’s death in 1959, allowing the group to evolve from being Holly's backing musicians to becoming a successful, self-contained band. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/FhnxPfu1Oa

— Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (@rockhall) September 20, 2025

As well as his time with The Crickets, Curtis is perhaps best known for writing the iconic song ‘I Fought The Law’, which was originally recorded by The Crickets in 1960. Bobby Fuller Four scored a rockabilly hit with their 1966 cover, while the song went on to be immortalised by The Clash in 1979.

Curtis was born in Meadow, Texas on May 9, 1937 and was an early acquaintance of Holly’s in the mid-’50s, playing on some of his earliest recordings for Decca. The Crickets formed as Holly’s backing band in 1957 and Curtis joined on lead guitar the following year.

“Sonny Curtis (1937–2025) was a gentle, humble man who wrote extraordinary songs. Growing up picking cotton in West Texas, he latched onto music as a way out. He found his calling, writing indelible hits like ‘Walk Right Back’ for the Everly Brothers, ‘I’m No Stranger to the… pic.twitter.com/30ifecp23F

— Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (@countrymusichof) September 20, 2025

Curtis and Holly were only together in the band for a few months before the latter’s death in 1959. Curtis took on the role of lead singer in the band and remained a near-constant member until their final performance together in 2016.

Among Curtis’ other most memorable compositions is ‘Love Is All Around’ in 1970, which went on to be the theme song for The Mary Tyler Moore Show for seven years, one of the biggest shows in television history. He also penned hits such as The Everly Brothers’ ‘Walk Right Back’, Leo Sayer’s ‘More Than I Can Say’ and Glen Campbell’s ‘The Straight Life’.

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 with The Crickets.

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