Step aside, Fergie — a new interesting rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" has entered into the canon. Unfortunately, Martha Reeves went viral for her unconventional performance of the national anthem at the inaugural Women's Professional Baseball League game on Saturday (Aug. 1). The Motown legend was accompanied by backup singers at the Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois, and it turns out she didn't want them to be a part of the performance at all.
According to TMZ, who obtained a video from a rehearsal, Reeves stops the backup singers at one point to tell one that she's out of tune. Over the stadium microphone, she then said about the backup singers, "I don't think I need them. I don't need them."
Immediately after going viral, Reeves shared a statement to TMZ: "Having just celebrated my 85th birthday, I've learned a great deal over more than 60 years of performing live. It was an incredible honor to be invited to perform at the inaugural Women's Professional Baseball League event and to help celebrate such a historic moment for women in sports. I wouldn't have missed it for the world."
"The field conditions were wet and windy, and without stage monitors I wasn't able to hear myself as I normally would," the statement continued. "While it wasn't the performance I had hoped for, I'm grateful to have been there in support of these remarkable athletes and this groundbreaking league."
Check out the performance below.
Absolutely nothing could have prepared me for the national anthem at the first Women’s Pro Baseball League tonight pic.twitter.com/3lEYRYNQTi
— Kendall Baker (@kendallbaker) August 2, 2026
