Readers of the Open Range

Music by	Joe Raposo
Lyrics by	Sara Compton
Date	1985
Publisher	Instructional Children's Music, Inc., Jonico Music Inc., Sesame Street Inc.
First	Episode 2141

Their comeback appearance in the 1990s.

The "Readers of the Open Range" refers both to a trio of cowpokes who specialize in reading signs and the song in which they introduce themselves. The group consists of Verne (Jerry Nelson), Sophie (Kevin Clash), and Earl (Richard Hunt).

Following their debut in Season 17 of Sesame Street, the Readers returned years later for a second sketch in Episode 3364. Only Nelson reprised his role as Verne, with Martin P. Robinson performing Earl and Julianne Buescher performing Sophie. After singing their theme song, the group wanders into a town whose inhabitants are entirely illiterate and thus have no idea where they live. Verne sagely asks whether there's a "big ole' sign" in town and thus is able to determine that the Readers of the Open Range are in Bisbee, Arizona.

In the same episode, Verne comes to Sesame Street and recruits Telly and Zoe as part of his Reading crew. The other members are away on other jobs; Sophie's a proofreader in Houston, and Earl's "reading palms" in Santa Fe, while Verne's horse is in Cancún. Verne would return again in Episode 3470.

The song the group sang was also performed by Elmo and Noel Cowherd as an album track on Elmo's Lowdown Hoedown.

Notes

• For the original segment, the horses were performed by Bryant Young, Pam Arciero, and Martin P. Robinson.

• The original segment was directed by Jon Stone and was taped on October 3, 1985.

Releases

Audio (song; Elmo and Noel Cowherd's version)

• Elmo's Lowdown Hoedown (1998)
• Just Me! Music (2007)

See also

• Old West sketches