Take a look, it's in a book, a Reading Rainbow!
The iconic show from the 80s that we all know and love, hosted by the incomparable Levar Burton, had a theme song that was originally sang by Tina Fabrique. This past summer, documentary Butterfly in the Sky was released, telling the story behind the 21 seasons and 155 episodes of the most watched show on PBS. During its 26-year run, Reading Rainbow garnered more than 250 awards, including the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award, Telly Awards, Parent and Teacher Choice Awards, and a total of 26 Emmy Awards, including ten for Outstanding Series. Burton, who since started a podcast called Levar Burton Reads, provides individuals with a peace of mind through narration. He was previously a guest host on Jeopardy and became the host and executive producer of new game show, Trivial Pursuit. In addition to Burton’s 20 Emmys, he’ll be a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award this upcoming December.
We introduced the people who created the original Reading Rainbow theme song, which was written by Steve Horelick, Dennis Neil Kleinman, and Janet Weir and performed by singer and actress Tina Fabrique. Not to be confused with Chaka Khan’s version, which was recorded in 2000. Recently, Fabrique was recorded singing the theme song and this is a video we didn't know we needed! Within a few hours of posting, the video has already gained 100,000 views and close to 3,000 retweets.
The Original Reading Rainbow 🌈 Tina Fabrique pic.twitter.com/44cUs1PyHz
— Brand-o-n (@iammrBrandon) October 11, 2022
Not only did she take us back to our childhood, but the comments also had us in our feels. With people saying things like, “Am I the only one crying?” and “How is my body covered in goosebumps already?” You can tell this song is a crowd favorite with comments like, “This is the song i listen to when my anxiety gets to a 10. Takes me right back to my childhood. Thank you, Tina Fabrique.”
Reading Rainbow is no longer airing, but it's hitting the stage! Reading Rainbow Live is a book event for kids that will instill the same values as the show and show kids the joy of reading through 25-minutes of singing, dancing, field trips, and special guests. They’re even offering a Reading Rainbow Live After Show Experience, consisting of a hangout with the Rainbows and special guests.
Thanks for being a part of our childhood, Ms. Fabrique!