Daniel Rodriguez
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Daniel Rodriguez
Background information
Birth name	Daniel Rodriguez
Also known as	America's Tenor
Born	May 24, 1964 (1964-05-24) (age 44) Brooklyn, New York
Origin	Brooklyn, New York, USA
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	1980 - Present
Label(s)	Blix Street Records
Website	Official Website

Daniel Rodriguez (born May 24, 1964 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American operatic tenor from New York City. He became known as "The Singing Policeman" in his former work with the New York City Police Department, due to his role as one of the department's designated National Anthem singers. In the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks, he received widespread attention with his rendition of "God Bless America", which he sang at memorial events and on television. This led to an offer of formal training from Placido Domingo. He has now recorded several albums, appeared in opera, in symphony concerts, and performs in support of numerous charities.

Biography

Early years

Of Puerto Rican descent, Rodriguez was born May 24, 1964 in Brooklyn, New York. His entire family was interested in music, with both his father and grandfather singing and others playing various musical instruments.^[1] Rodriguez also cites the singing of Mario Lanza as an important musical influence.^[2] At the age of ten, Rodriguez began to study singing in earnest, and a few years following, joined the American Youth Repertory Company in Manhattan, where he would later act as assistant director.^[3][4] When Rodriguez was twelve years old, a prominent figure in the New York music industry began giving him free voice lessons, and arranged for his first recital in Studio 856 at Carnegie Hall when Rodriguez was sixteen. A year later he gave another recital at Carnegie's Weill Hall.^[5][6] During his early years, he studied with Juilliard trained Aldo Bruschi, Juilliard-trained Elliot Dorfman, and Miraslov Markoff from the Moscow Ballet and Opera company.

After Rodriguez married at 19 and had a son, his mentor decided he had dropped music as his first priority and withdrew his support in disapproval. With this loss of an important connection in the music world, Rodriguez became depressed and stopped pursuing a singing career for five years.^[5] He worked at many different jobs, including short order cook, caterer, taxi driver, truck driver, and postal worker, before finally joining the police force.^[1] At 25, Rodriguez decided to once again attempt a music career, beginning by performing in concerts he developed himself, and eventually organizing an ensemble of musicians called Broadway Magic.^[7]

Career Highlights

Rodriguez entered the New York City Police Academy in 1995.^[5] After singing at his own graduation, he was chosen as one of the designated National Anthem singers in the NYPD's ceremonial division.^[8] New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani who had seen Rodriguez perform at various events, used his influence to arrange an audition for him at the Metropolitan Opera. His lack of classical training proved an insurmountable obstacle, however, and the Met dismissed him after he had sung but two notes.^[1] In 2001, he was the subject of a Cable News Network special about a New York City police officer who had sung at Carnegie Hall.^[9]

Rodriguez was on duty in New York City at the time of the September 11th terrorist attack, and was two blocks away from the World Trade Center when it collapsed.^[10] Performing at many post 9/11 events, he received much media attention for his performances of "God Bless America".^[11] He was soon appearing on news and talk shows including, The Today Show, The Early Show, Larry King Live, The David Letterman Show, and Live with Regis and Kelly.^[12][13][14]

Rodriguez performed at the September 23rd, 2001 "Prayer For America" concert, honoring the victims of the September 11th terror attacks. Placido Domingo, who was also on the bill, heard him sing and invited him to attend the Domingo/Vilar Young Artists Institute in Washington D.C. for 18 months of opera study.^[15][16][17] Rodriguez has been quoted as saying "Watching the Twin Towers collapse didn't make me sing any better. But the passion for the music has changed and for what I represent: The comfort and the feeling of national pride that I bring now more than I did before."^[18]

Rodriguez's first performance before a world-wide audience occurred at the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, followed by the 2002 Ford's Theater Gala Celebration, attended by President George W. Bush.^[19][20] In 2003, Rodriguez sang the National Anthem at the Indianapolis 500.^[21] Other Capitol Hill performances were the Memorial Day concerts in Washington D.C. in 2002 and 2006, and the "Celebration of Freedom" concert in January, 2005, honoring Bush's second inauguration as President.^[22][23][24] He also appeared at the Republican National Convention in New York at Madison Square Garden in 2004.^[25] In 2002 President Bush paid tribute to Mr. Rodriguez with the following words: "I want to thank Daniel Rodriguez for lending his fabulous voice in tribute after tribute to the greatness of America."^[26]

Rodriguez traveled to Monaco with the "Pipes and Drums of the Chicago Police Department", at the invitation of the IPA (International Police Association), where he sang for Albert II, Prince of Monaco.^[27] He also sang at a Memorial Mass at New York City's Cathedral of Saint Patrick, for His Serene Highness Rainier III, Prince of Monaco who died April 6, 2005.^[28]

With his emerging success as a singer of both popular and classical music, Rodriguez retired from the police department in May 2004.^[10] He made his operatic debut as Canio in Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci in New York City with the Chelsea Opera Company in June 2006,^[11][29] and in December performed in the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland on an eight-city tour in association with the Hour of Power.^[30]

Philanthropy

In 2005, Rodriguez began a project called "Songs for the Soldiers", to provide CDs in USO care packages for deployed troops.^[31] He also makes regular appearances in association with ^[32] ArtAID, The Jimmy V Foundation, The City of Hope National Medical Center, and the United Service Organizations.^[33][34][35] In 2003 he was awarded the first Raúl Juliá Award, by the Puerto Rican Family Institute, in appreciation of his charitable work.^[36] In 2007 he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the USO for his work on the Care Package Program.^[37]

Recordings

In December 2001, a single, God Bless America: We Will Go On, was released by Manhattan Records, with a spoken introduction by then-New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. Rodriguez and the record company donated all profits from the recording (over $150,000) to the Twin Towers Fund for the benefit of the victims of the September 11 attacks.^[38] His first album, Spirit of America, followed in 2002. In 2003 Manhattan Records released two additional albums, From My Heart and Be My love. His latest album, a collection of inspirational songs entitled In The Presence, was released by Blix Street Records in 2005.^[39] The album includes two duets with Lea Salonga, Panis Angelicus and Pie Jesu, the latter from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem.

Rodriguez has also performed on several other albums, including Yuletide Celebration, by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra; New Found Freedom, by saxophonist/composer Tom Scott; A tribute to Ronald Reagan; Stand Ye Steady, with the West Point Glee Club; and an album produced by the Crystal Cathedral, in tribute to the late Johnnie Carl.

References

External links

• Official Website
• Tribute Website
• Google informational site