# Martha Reeves national anthem controversy

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/martha-reeves-national-anthem-controversy
> Updated: 2026-08-10T15:37:15.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2.

During the inaugural game of the Women’s Professional Baseball League on August 1, 2026, Motown legend Martha Reeves performed an a-cappella rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner that drew widespread online criticism for being off-key and out of sync. Reeves stated that the performance was impacted by wet, windy field conditions and a lack of stage monitors.

Following the controversy, Reeves announced the release of her first new album in twenty-two years, titled ‘Searching’. To address the criticism regarding her vocal performance, she performed the anthem again for Fox 2 News in Detroit without background accompaniment to demonstrate her point.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-10: Martha Reeves releases new album following National Anthem controversy

Motown singer Martha Reeves is releasing her first new album in 22 years, ‘Searching’, amid recent scrutiny over a National Anthem performance at a Women’s Pro Baseball League game.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/martha-reeves-releases-new-album-following-national-anthem-controversy

### 2026-08-02: Martha Reeves' National Anthem Performance Goes Viral at Inaugural Women's Pro Baseball Game

Martha Reeves' off‑key national anthem at the WPBL’s inaugural game went viral, drawing criticism and millions of views, while the new women’s baseball league celebrated its historic debut in Springfield, IL.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/martha-reeves-offkey-anthem-at-inaugural-womens-pro-baseball-game

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Cite as: Martha Reeves national anthem controversy. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/martha-reeves-national-anthem-controversy