Sonny Curtis (The Mary Tyler Moore Theme Song Performer) Then & Now! - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 03-22-2011, 10:26 PM

His most famous song is probably the theme from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, "Love is All Around", which he wrote as well as recorded.

Q: What is the story behind your song “Love is All Around”

As for Love Is All Around a good friend of mine, Doug Gilmore, was working for the Williams & Price agency in L. A., who managed Mary Tyler Moore. One morning in early summer of 1970, he called and told me that they were planning to do a show with Mary. He asked if I’d be interested in writing a theme song. “Sure,” I said. At lunch, he came by my house and dropped off a format of about four pages that described the show. I wrote the song in a couple of hours and called him to ask where I should go to sing it. He sent me to CBS Television Studios in Studio City to see James L. Brooks, the executive producer of the show. Mr. Brooks took me to a big, empty room (except for a black telephone on the floor), had a couple of iron back chairs sent in, and informed me that they weren’t anywhere close to choosing a theme song. I think Doug had allowed me to get the jump on other songwriters. Anyway, I sang him the song. He said, “sing that again.” Then he got on the phone and had some other people come in to listen to it. He had a cassette recorder sent in and I recorded it for him. He said he wanted to take it to Minneapolis that weekend to listen to when they filmed the opening segment of the show. At that point, I thought I might have a pretty good chance.

It aired for the first time, September 19, 1970.

http://www.nashvillesongwritersfound...s-feature.aspx

catlover79 · 03-22-2011, 11:46 PM

Cool - thanks for the link!! (He was also one of The Crickets!)

Retro4Life · 03-23-2011, 12:38 AM

Wow, he looks great! Must be close to 70 by now, too! Thanks for the article.

catlover79 · 03-23-2011, 01:05 AM

He'll actually turn 74 in May!! (born May 9, 1937)

PGood97041 · 03-23-2011, 02:38 PM

Wow!
I'd never known what Sonny looked like, nor ever read the story about the creation of the theme song from his point of view.
Thanks for posting!

OH Nuts! · 03-23-2011, 06:36 PM

Great piece of info Brian - and the pictures are great! Thx!

tmac81s · 05-19-2011, 11:27 PM

Sonny was also a country singer, he took "Love is All Around" to #29 on the country charts in 1980, three years after MTM went off the air! His highest charting hit came the next year with the #15 "Good Ol' Girls."

Check out his full-length country version of "Love Is all Around" on youtube, it also has extra lyrics! i was kinda surprised it wasn't put out as a single in the early 70s, when the show was on the air and a hit.

03-22-2011, 10:26 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Sonny Curtis (The Mary Tyler Moore Theme Song Performer) Then & Now! His most famous song is probably the theme from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, "Love is All Around", which he wrote as well as recorded. Q: What is the story behind your song “Love is All Around” As for Love Is All Around a good friend of mine, Doug Gilmore, was working for the Williams & Price agency in L. A., who managed Mary Tyler Moore. One morning in early summer of 1970, he called and told me that they were planning to do a show with Mary. He asked if I’d be interested in writing a theme song. “Sure,” I said. At lunch, he came by my house and dropped off a format of about four pages that described the show. I wrote the song in a couple of hours and called him to ask where I should go to sing it. He sent me to CBS Television Studios in Studio City to see James L. Brooks, the executive producer of the show. Mr. Brooks took me to a big, empty room (except for a black telephone on the floor), had a couple of iron back chairs sent in, and informed me that they weren’t anywhere close to choosing a theme song. I think Doug had allowed me to get the jump on other songwriters. Anyway, I sang him the song. He said, “sing that again.” Then he got on the phone and had some other people come in to listen to it. He had a cassette recorder sent in and I recorded it for him. He said he wanted to take it to Minneapolis that weekend to listen to when they filmed the opening segment of the show. At that point, I thought I might have a pretty good chance. It aired for the first time, September 19, 1970. http://www.nashvillesongwritersfound...s-feature.aspx
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03-23-2011, 12:38 AM	#3
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	Wow, he looks great! Must be close to 70 by now, too! Thanks for the article.
	__________________ Alex Reiger :[Trying to convince Louie not to antagonize Bobby] "It's not hard to make people feel bad about their lives. What's hard is making people feel good about their lives."

05-19-2011, 11:27 PM	#7
tmac81s Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 06, 2011 Location: Kalispell, MT, USA Posts: 203	Sonny was also a country singer, he took "Love is All Around" to #29 on the country charts in 1980, three years after MTM went off the air! His highest charting hit came the next year with the #15 "Good Ol' Girls." Check out his full-length country version of "Love Is all Around" on youtube, it also has extra lyrics! i was kinda surprised it wasn't put out as a single in the early 70s, when the show was on the air and a hit.
	__________________ "Aaaaayyy"~~The Fonz, "Happy Days" "I've Heard it Both Ways"~~Shawn Spencer, "Psych" "Well how the hell should I know?”~~Thelma Harper, “Mama’s Family”/“Carol Burnett Show”

03-22-2011, 11:46 PM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Cool - thanks for the link!! (He was also one of The Crickets!)
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

03-23-2011, 01:05 AM	#4
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	He'll actually turn 74 in May!! (born May 9, 1937)

03-23-2011, 02:38 PM	#5
PGood97041 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 03, 2008 Location: Boston Posts: 747	Wow! I'd never known what Sonny looked like, nor ever read the story about the creation of the theme song from his point of view. Thanks for posting!

03-23-2011, 06:36 PM	#6
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	Great piece of info Brian - and the pictures are great! Thx!