Martha Reeves talks new album and viral national anthem video
Catching up with Martha Reeves
Motown legend Martha Reeves joined Charlie Langton on "Detroit Talk City" Friday to talk about her new album that’s coming out. The 85-year-old is still recording, performing and creating new music.
(FOX 2) - Motown legend Martha Reeves joined Charlie Langton on "Detroit Talk City" Friday to talk about her new album that’s coming out.
The 85-year-old is still recording, performing and creating new music.
Who is Martha Reeves?
Big picture view:
Martha was front and center as the lead singer of the legendary Motown girl group, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas.
During the 1970’s and 1980’s Martha recorded as a solo artist releasing a handful of critically acclaimed albums.
Local perspective:
She has lived in Detroit since she was a baby. Reeves also served as an elected councilwoman in Detroit from 2005 to 2009.
Martha Reeves songs
Her best-known string of Motown hits include:
- "Dancing in the Street"
- "My Baby Loves Me"
- "Come and Get These Memories"
- "Nowhere to Run"
Martha Reeves national anthem
Martha Reeves performs at Women's Pro Baseball League's inaugural game
The Women’s Pro Baseball League shared video of the performance with Storyful, a social media video licensing agency. In the clip, players and audience members can be seen stifling their laughs as Reeves and two back-up singers get through the anthem. Credit: Women’s Pro Baseball League via Storyful
The backstory:
Reeves’ has been in the headlines recently after her national anthem performance before the inaugural game of the Women’s Pro Baseball League in Illinois.
Video perspective:
The Women’s Pro Baseball League shared video of the performance with Storyful, a social media video licensing agency.
In the clip, players and audience members can be seen stifling their laughs as Reeves and two back-up singers get through the anthem.
What they're saying:
Reeves had previously told TMZ that field conditions meant she could not hear herself correctly, and that it "wasn’t the performance I had hoped for."
"That ain’t Dolly Parton"
We watched her performance on "Detroit Talk City" and a smiling Reeves quipped, "That ain’t Dolly Parton!"
"I didn’t see those girls (backup singers) until the music started – well there was no music," she continued to explain. "I didn’t see them until I started singing and I turned around; somebody put them there. Who did that?"
"You could tell there was no rehearsal, baby," she added.
You can hear more from her interview in the video player above.
Martha Reeves album event in Dearborn
What's next:
She has a new album coming out, with a signing event in Dearborn on Saturday, Aug. 8.
The event is from 2–4:30 p.m. at Dearborn Music.
Her album, Searching, officially releases Aug. 14, and is her first new studio album in more than two decades.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from a Aug. 7, 2026, interview with Martha Reeves, Martha Reeves’ official website biography, and The Women’s Pro Baseball League via Storyful.