Sonny Curtis "Interesting, perhaps, is the way I started writing songs. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a big country star. A local promoter put me on a show with Hank Snow. I went on right before Hank, and to impress him, I sang a lot of his hits. I was so dumb, I didn't realize that was not the thing to do. Anyway, Hank's road manager told me that those were Hank's songs and if I wanted to make it, I would have to find my own songs. That if I didn't know any songwriters, I would have to write them myself. I said, okay, and started writing songs. I never became a big country star, but I did learn to write songs, which, as far as I'm concerned, is the better of the two. What I am most proud of are my induction into the NSAI Hall of Fame and my 5 one million air plays awards from BMI. I'm always proud to get any cut on my songs, but I'm especially proud to have records by legendary artists like Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Chet Atkins, Andy Williams and Sammy Davis, Jr. and Eddy Arnold. I like my songs "Walk Right Back," "I Fought the Law" and "More Than I Can Say" because they have taken care of me and made it possible for me to do what I love in life." Birth Name: Sonny Curtis Induction Year: 1991 Date of Birth: 5/9/1937 Place of Birth: Meadow, TX Education: Grade School (from 1943-1950) High School (from 1950-1955) College--Sherman School of Music (Los Angeles, CA); (from 1970-1971) Career Milestones: Early 1950s--performed in high school in Lubbock, Texas with Buddy Holly and Waylon Jennings 1953--won the state (TX) FFA talent contest 1956--recorded in Nashville on Decca Records with Buddy Holly; became part of band Buddy Holly and The Three Tunes 1956--left The Three Tunes (who changed their name to The Crickets) 1957--first chart record "Someday," recorded by Webb Pierce in March 1957--took a job playing guitar with Slim Whitman (touring) 1957--first solo recording for Dot Records in New York; first single, "Wrong Again," released in 1958 1958--rejoined Buddy Holly as a Cricket right before the plane crash that killed Holly 1959--joined the Everly Brothers, playing lead guitar 1961--first major cut, "Walk Right Back," recorded by The Everly Brothers 1965--decided to devote his full attention to songwriting and his own career as an artist 1970--wrote and sang Mary Tyler Moore Show theme 1976--relocated to Nashville Awards: 1961--BMI Pop Award\Walk Right Back 1964--BMI Pop Award\I Fought the Law 1968--BMI Pop Award\The Straight Life 1980--BMI Pop Award\More Than I Can Say 1989--CMA\Single of the Year\I'm No Stranger to the Rain 1989--BMI Pop Award\I'm No Stranger to the Rain 1992--BMI Motion Picture & TV Award\"Evening Shade" theme\awarded May 20 Catalog Highlights Love Is All Around (theme song from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show") Artists: Sonny Curtis I Fought The Law Artists: Bobby Fuller Four, Sam Neely, Hank Williams Jr. (1978), Johnny Rodriguez, Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge, The Clash, Lou Reed More Than I Can Say Artists: Bobby Vee, Leo Sayer I'm No Stranger to the Rain Co-writer: Ron Hellard Artists: Keith Whitley (1989) A Fool Never Learns Artists: Andy Williams Walk Right Back Artists: The Everly Brothers, Anne Murray (1978) Destiny's Child Artists: Waylon Jennings Gypsy Man Artists: Buddy Knox The Straight Life Artists: Bobby Goldsboro (1968) Where Will the Words Come From Artists: Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Rosanne Cash Comments: Member of BMI's "Million Airs Club" for "Walk Right Back," "More Than I Can Say," "The Straight Life," and "I Fought the Law". The finger-picking heard on "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" (Vicki Lawrence) is Sonny's. Around 1966, Curtis began studying music and classical guitar at the Valley Conservatory of music in Los Angeles