"Music has always been a ministry for me. I've always considered it a blessing to sing and give comfort." ~Daniel

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Daniel's first guest appearance at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California was in April of 2002, with numerous appearances in recent years.

Several videos from the Crystal Cathedral appearances located on our "Audio/video" page 

 Performance of "Immortal Invisible"

 Performance of "An American Hymn" 

Sunday morning service

  April 2005 evening concert at the Cathedral 

Heather Michna and daughters at the concert 

 
Hour of Power interview from May 5, 2002, Daniel with Dr. Robert H. Schuller

RHS: ROBERT HAROLD SCHULLER
DR: DANIEL RODRIGUEZ

RHS: Daniel Rodriguez has suddenly become America's tenor. Daniel and the heroic sound of his voice have become powerful symbols ever since 9/11. On 9/11 he was just a policeman. Seven years in uniform, always loved singing, wanted to, and Giuliani liked him and then with that tragic event, he was asked to sing a song and moved all of America. Now he's here to sing for us this morning, in person, Daniel Rodriguez.

SOLO - DANIEL RODRIGUEZ - "God Bless America"

RHS: Wow!! And all God's people said: WOW! Oh, thank you. Thank you. Oh. Listen, you sang the opening for the Olympics in Salt Lake. What was that like?

DR: It was cold! It was an amazing experience.

RHS: And then you sang the 7th inning stretch at the World Series.

DR: At the World Series. Games 3 and game 5, both amazing games, and I think the highlight was that...

RHS: You ...

DR: ...before they introduced me, the audience knew who I was. They applauded me. And it was such a wonderful feeling of being accepted, coming home to New York.

RHS: Oh. Now you wanted to be a singer when you were a little boy and you grew up and you ended up in a New York police uniform. How did that happen?

DR: Well, God works in mysterious ways. Music was always been my ministry. So I always followed the dream and held on to that part of my life that was such an influence. And growing up, the music business is very difficult, so I had to get a regular job. The NYPD called and said, we'll give you a gun and go out there and ..

RHS: And what?

DR: Go out there and keep the people safe and serve and protect. And I thought that was also a great ministry to be able to serve and protect. And my years as a singer always gave me a special Connection with people. So I think I was a pretty good cop.

RHS: What brought you to America...yeah, thank you. Well, you can be proud of the uniform you wore so bravely. And Giuliani knew about you, didn't he?

DR: I was in charge of ... I was in the ceremonial unit, and I did a lot of the ceremonies for the police department. Giuliani was a guest at many of those ceremonies. So he had heard me sing a few times. And at one point after Broadway on Broadway, he said, you should be singing at the "Met". I said, well if you can make it happen, I'll sing there.

RHS: Now, this whole thing that's happened, Placido Domingo heard you, didn't he?

DR: Yes.

RHS: Tell me about that.

DR: After the tragedy of 9-11, I was called to sing for prayer for America at Yankee Stadium. And Placido Domingo was performing the "Ave Maria" there and we met and spoke and he asked me, he invited me to Washington to study with the Young Artist Program, and I've been there for 2 months now studying with Placido Domingo and having a wonderful time.

RHS: Where were you on September 9/11?

DR: I was at City Hall before the buildings came down. I'm assigned to patrol burrow Manhattan South so I went there to be with my, with the chiefs and all the bosses and we were about two blocks away from the building when it came down.

RHS: You saw it come down?

DR: I was there, yeah. We ran to a mobile command center. And after the smoke cleared from the first building, we went out and tried to help as many people as we could. And then ran again when the second building came down I was with my inspector. A man who I spent the next month with down at ground zero.
 

RHS: Wow. Did you lose any friends?

DR: I lost a few dear friends. One in particular, Glenn Petitt who was a videographer for the video unit and being that I was the official national anthem signer for the police department and I had sung at many differentevents, I was called to sing at all their funerals as well. So, I sang at my friend Glenn's funeral and..

RHS: How many funerals did you sing?

DR: Oh

RHS: Dozens?

DR: Yeah. I lost count. I had done not only police department funerals but fire department funerals, EMS, private funerals for friends and family of friends who had lost loved ones there.

RHS: Do you still have memories of the of the event?

DR: I do

RHS: Do they haunt you?

DR: Sometimes. Sometimes the faces, I see the faces in my dreams but I think they're just coming to visit and say that, you know, you're doing a good job or.. So I feel very, very privileged and blessed that you know I was, that God gave me this gift and the ability to share it to me was a ministry and so my responsibility is to share it with as many people as I can. And that's why I'm so proud to be here today.

RHS: Well thank you

DR: It's a great honor

RHS: Thank you very much. Well, I'm sure that Giuliani will be listening to you. He told me, you know that he's been watching this program for thirty years in New York. And I'm touched by that because I know many of the people whose lives were lost. I kind of feel like some of them belong to our church. but we're coming close. We're soon approaching the first anniversary and what would you say to the American people as we remember it on an anniversary occasion?

DR: Well, I would say that from great tragedies come great blessings. And one of the blessings that I have seen is God has given us all a glimpse into how life once was when brother was with brother and when people were close and when this city was unified. And we've seen that again under the banner of anti-terrorism and as cities come together and I hope that that glimpse into what is possible when we all share God's love and faith, that that transcends to our children and our children's children and the better world that can become of it. There is peace in our future and we just have to work hard for it.

RHS: Now what's been your inspiration? Because you were so close to the whole 9-11 tragedy. You know, this is your town, and you were so close to it still, in your police uniform. What's been your inspiration to come back and get through it?

DR: Well, I am so honored to be here today, because through out my life my inspiration has been Jesus Christ. I have always been blessed. My life has always been one where, even in the hard times, I always knew that there was someone watching over me, and I always knew that things would be all right And so my faith has brought me through all the tragedies and have brought me here. And He's given me a wonderful gift, and instructed me to share it. And so that's what I'll do for the rest of my life.

RHS: That's fantastic. Now, you'll be able to see yourself in New York City. We're on in New York.

DR: Oh, wonderful.

RHS: Yes. 7:00. But finally you have a CD out. It's Daniel Rodriguez, "The Spirit of America." This is phenomenal. Somebody said you might even be autographing after one of the services?

DR: Surely.

RHS: Get his autograph, because down the road he'll probably be so famous you can't get this close to him again. Will you sing another song for us?

DR: I would love to.

RHS: And let say something before you do. Jesus Christ comes through those eyes clearly.

DR: Thank you.

RHS: Sing for us.

DR: Thank you.

SOLO - DANIEL RODRIGUEZ - "The Lord's Prayer"

RHS: Yes. Wow. Wow. Wow. I don't think that song has ever been sung by anyone as you have just sung it now. Not only do you have the talent, the discipline but you have unbelievable humility. And a love for Jesus Christ and that passion comes through loud and clear. God loves you, so do I. Thank you very much.  

DR: Thank you. God bless you.

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Daniel's appearances/songs performed at the Crystal Cathedral