Gladys Knight to Sing the National Anthem at Super Bowl LIII

Add Gladys Knight to the list of performers at Super Bowl LIII. The longtime Atlanta native will sing the national anthem before kickoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in a homecoming for the ages on Super Bowl Sunday.

The seven-time Grammy Award winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer will join the likes of Maroon 5, Travis Scott and Big Boi, all three of whom are confirmed to perform during the Pepsi Halftime Show.

Knight, 74, said she is “proud” to represent her hometown in singing before Super Bowl LIII.

“I am proud to use my voice to unite and represent our country in my hometown of Atlanta,” she said, according to CBS Sports. “The NFL recently announced their new social justice platform Inspire Change, and I am honored to be a part of its inaugural year.”

Accompanying Knight will be performance and deaf activist Aarron Loggins, who will sign both the anthem and “America The Beautiful” on behalf of the National Association of the Deaf.

Knight has recorded hits in pop, Gospel, R&B and adult contemporary, making her an all-around music legend. She cemented her pathway to stardom with hits like “Midnight Train to Georgia” and “That’s What Friends Are For” between the 1960s and ’80s. She and the Pips entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996, and she was been recognized as Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Especially celebrated in Atlanta, she was honored in 2015 when the city renamed a portion of State Route 9 (from Peachtree Street to 14th Street) as Gladys Knight Highway.

Maroon 5, Scott and Big Boi were officially announced as the halftime show performers last week, although reports surfaced this week that Lil Jon and Jermaine Dupri may also be joining the previously announced performers.

Mega-producer Jazze Pha told TMZ that Lil Jon and Dupri are slated to take the stage Sunday, Feb. 3.

“I think Lil Jon and Jermaine Dupri and everybody gonna make it hot,” Pha said, claiming that he had just come from rehearsals. “They gonna make it live. Maybe I let the cat outta the bag, I don’t know!”

The producer also claimed that “there are other people,” though he remained mum when it came to details, adding that “you ain’t never seen nothing like it.”

Following the official announcement of the halftime show performers, many fans were upset that Maroon 5 and company had accepted the gig amid the NFL’s alleged treatment of former quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who is at the center of the kneeling protest controversy.

After Scott was criticized by a number of stars, including Michael B. Jordan and Rev. Al Sharpton, the rapper announced that he accepted the invitation to perform under the condition that the NFL donate $500,000 to a charity of his choice.

“I back anyone who takes a stand for what they believe in. I know being an artist that it’s in my power to inspire. So before confirming the Super Bowl Halftime performance, I made sure to partner with the NFL on this important donation,” Scott said in a statement. “I am proud to support Dream Corps. and the work they do that will hopefully inspire and promote change.”

Super Bowl LIII will air live on CBS from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on Sunday, Feb. 3.