Reba McEntire was joined by the ladies of Little Big Town, Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman, to sing the theme song from the beloved sitcom, The Golden Girls.
The 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards took place Sunday night (September 14) at The Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The annual awards show celebrates “creative and technical achievements” in primetime television programming.
During this year’s show, some of television’s most beloved sitcoms were honored with performances of their iconic theme songs. Among those shows honored was The Golden Girls, a sitcom about four older women who shared a home.
Betty White, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur, and Estelle Getty headlined the sitcom that aired from 1985 to 1992. Almost as popular as The Golden Girls themselves was the show’s recognizable theme song, “Thank You For Being A Friend.”
“Thank You For Being A Friend” was written and recorded by Andrew Gold in 1978. The artist called the song “a little throwaway thing” that he wrote in less than an hour. The song was later recorded by Cynthia Fee and was used as the theme song for The Golden Girls.
The Golden Girls Emmy Awards Tribute
The Golden Girls is widely regarded as one of the most popular sitcoms in television history. Over the course of its 180-episode run, the sitcom and its principal actors earned numerous accolades, including two Primetime Emmy trophies for Outstanding Comedy Series and three Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series-Musical or Comedy. Arthur, White, and McClanahan each took home Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, and Getty won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
The show’s success and the 40th anniversary of its premiere warranted recognition from the 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards. The annual show enlisted the help of country stars Reba McEntire, Karen Fairchild, and Kimberly Schlapman to pay tribute.
The trio took the stage to sing “Thank You For Being A Friend.” They performed the iconic tune from a replica of the Golden Girls’ television kitchen, with each artist taking their turn at lead and supporting each other with harmonies. The enthusiastic crowd clapped and sang along with the familiar lyrics.
Watch Reba, Karen Fairchild, and Kimberly Schlapman’s The Golden Girls tribute in the video below.
