One of the 2025 Emmys’ best moments came courtesy of the Queen of Country and a couple of of her closest friends.
During the September 14 broadcast, Happy’s Place star Reba McEntire joined forces with Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town for an awe-inspiring live rendition of “Thank You for Being a Friend,” the theme song from The Golden Girls. The performance was a tribute to the classic sitcom that first premiered on NBC exactly 40 years earlier on September 14, 1985.
McEntire — who had just low-key confirmed her engagement to longtime boyfriend Rex Linn earlier that evening on the red carpet — introduced the song perfectly as she stepped onto a replica set from the iconic show to join Fairchild and Schlapman.
“Singing it for the girls!” McEntire announced, gesturing to a framed photo of Beatrice Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty.
The trio had the crowd in the palm of their hands — cameras noticed many celebrities singing along to the familiar lyrics and dancing in their seats.
Of course, McEntire was pitch-perfect as she led the group in one of the most spirited moments of the night, and the three women took full advantage of numerous opportunities to harmonize beautifully.
It was a heavenly-sounding performance that highlighted all three of their voices equally — and judging by the looks on so many celebs’ faces, it was a highlight of the night, as well.
“Thank You for Being a Friend” served as the show’s theme from the first episode to its finale, spanning its full eight-season run on NBC. It was originally released in 1978 by Andrew Gold from his album All This and Heaven Too.
It wasn’t the first time that the Queen of Country joined forces with Little Big Town, either. In 2017, McEntire and all four members of Little Big Town performed a goosebump-inducing version of “Mary, Did You Know?” during the CMA Country Christmas television special.
