Music by | Joe Raposo |
Lyrics by | Sara J. Compton |
Publisher | Instructional Children's Music, Inc. |
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 Vern (Jerry Nelson), Sophie (Kevin Clash), and a nameless cowboy (Richard Hunt).
The Readers returned to Sesame Street years later for a second sketch; only Nelson reprised his role, with Martin P. Robinson replacing Richard Hunt. After singing their theme song, the group wanders into a town whose inhabitants are entirely illiterate, and thus have no idea where they live. Vern 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.