Sonny Curtis — the songwriter best known for The Mary Tyler Moore Show theme song and the frontman for Buddy Holly ‘s band The Crickets — is dead at 88.

On Saturday, September 20, Sonny’s daughter, Sarah, announced her father’s death in a Facebook post. “I’m heartbroken to tell you that my dad Sonny passed away yesterday after a sudden illness,” she wrote. “I’m so grateful that I was with him at the end, along with my mom. It was peaceful and he didn’t suffer.”

In the death announcement, Sarah continued, “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.”

Face

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