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Martha Reeves Didn’t Want Those Backup Singers On Her Viral “Star-Spangled Banner”
Motown legend Martha Reeves went viral after an unconventional rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the inaugural Women's Professional Baseball League game, with footage later emerging showing she had not wanted the backup singers who accompanied her on stage. A rehearsal video obtained by TMZ captured Reeves stopping the backup singers to correct one for being out of tune, before telling the stadium via microphone, "I don't think I need them. I don't need them."
The performance took place on Saturday 1 August at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois. Reeves, who recently turned 85, said in a statement that wet, windy field conditions and a lack of stage monitors meant she could not hear herself properly, adding that while it wasn't the performance she had hoped for, she was honoured to take part in a historic moment for women's sport.
In short
- Martha Reeves' anthem performance went viral for its unconventional style
- Rehearsal footage showed she didn't want backup singers on stage
- She blamed poor conditions and lack of stage monitors for the outcome
Explained simply
Martha Reeves is an American singer best known as the lead vocalist of Martha and the Vandellas, a Motown group whose hits included “Dancing in the Street”. “The Star-Spangled Banner” is the national anthem of the United States, often performed at major sporting events.
The Women’s Professional Baseball League is a new US league for women’s baseball, a sport with a long history of limited opportunities for women to play professionally. Its inaugural game in Springfield, Illinois, was presented as a landmark occasion for the league and women’s sport.
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