Reba McEntire, Karen Fairchild, and Kimberly Schlapman Sing ‘Thank You For Being a Friend’ in ‘Golden Girls’ Tribute at the Emmys
This performance will bring a smile to your face.
Reba McEntire with Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town at the 77TH EMMY® AWARDS, broadcasting live to both coasts from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California, Sunday, Sept. 14; Photo by Sonja Flemming/CBS
Reba McEntire joined Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the beloved sitcom The Golden Girls with a special performance during the 77th Emmy Awards on Sunday evening (Sept. 14).
The country stars sang the show’s theme song, “Thank You for Being a Friend,” on a re-created version of the sitcom’s famous kitchen set.
Host Nate Bargatze, a GRAMMY-nominated comedian, introduced the moment with a laugh: “40 years ago tonight, The Golden Girls premiered on NBC. It was an instant classic. It was a little edgier than people might remember. For growing up, I was not allowed to watch the Blanche parts,” he joked.
McEntire, Fairchild, and Schlapman lit up the stage with their heartfelt rendition, smiling and embracing one another as they sang. McEntire also gave a sweet nod to the show’s stars, Beatrice Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty, by pointing to their photo on the wall and declaring, “singing it for the girls.”
“Thank You for Being a Friend” was originally performed by Cynthia Fee.
Ahead of the show, McEntire told E! News about her love for the sitcom: “Absolutely. I still am a fan of it. It’s a show that you can watch forever.”
Her fiancé, Rex Linn, added, “I mean, if you’re not a fan of The Golden Girls, it would be like not liking puppies. I’m absolutely a Golden Girls fan!”
When asked which character she relates to most, McEntire chose Dorothy, portrayed by Beatrice Arthur: “Dorothy…I think I’m to the point, blunt.”
She also reflected on friendship, both in the show and in her own career.
“The best thing about this entertainment business, no matter what genre it is, is the friends that you make when you’re going up the ladder. And hopefully those friends will be there if you happen to be going back down the ladder,” she shared. “But overall, friends are the best thing to collect when you’re in this business.”
Created by Susan Harris, The Golden Girls ran from September 14, 1985 to May 9, 1992. In total, the show included 180 episodes across seven seasons.
Reba McEntire joined Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman weren’t the only country stars at the Emmys. Lainey Wilson and Vince Gill also took the stage to perform “Go Rest High on That Mountain” for the show’s “In Memoriam” segment.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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