Those naysayers were drowned out by Franklin's fans, who said they needed to show a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Franklin wore her trademark fur coat and a Detroit beanie to signify her hometown. She sat down at a piano and belted out a 4-minute, 35-second version of "The Star-Spangled Banner." Her version brought the house down at Detroit's Ford Field, and her performance quickly went viral.

"That was a gospel version of the #NationalAnthem," tweeted John Miller (@jfreemon63) "It's called seasoning folks. Prep takes longer ... but it tastes better."

About the Author

Featured

A new poll from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution explored what Georgians thought about the first 100 days in office of President Donald Trump’s second term. Photo illustration by Philip Robibero/AJC

Credit: Philip Robibero/AJC