Sonny Curtis, the frontman of Buddy Holly’s band The Crickets who wrote classic songs including the theme for “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” has died. He was 88.

Curtis died Friday “after a sudden illness,” his daughter, Sarah, announced in a Facebook post.

“I’m heartbroken to tell you that my dad Sonny passed away yesterday after a sudden illness,” her message read. “I’m so grateful that I was with him at the end, along with my mom. It was peaceful and he didn’t suffer.” 4

“He was 88 and he lived a more exceptional life than anyone I’d ever met,” Sarah continued. “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.”

Curtis is survived by

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