2001 media Official website
Sept 23, 2001 CNN.com U.S. 'Prayer for America' report
Oct 23, 2001 CNN.com Thousands gather for service at Ground Zero
Oct 2001 Placido Domingo to Teach Tenor Cop
Dec 2001 That Moving Voice Belongs to His Son
Dec 2001 Singing Cop Gives Mary Queen Of Heaven Parishioners A Treat
Dec 2001 Daniel sings at Broadway tree lighting
Dec 2001 Singing cop soothed a city, found new fame
Dec 2001 Voice of Authority Singing cop eyes full-time music career
Dec 2001 Opera singing policeman becomes toast of New York
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September, 23 2001 CNN.com U.S. 'Prayer for America' report
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A service in honor of the missing and dead from the September 11 deadly terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center is planned for Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, with prayers being offered from representatives of a wide variety of faiths.
The service, billed as "Prayer for America," is to be simulcast on large television screens at stadiums in Staten Island and Brooklyn.
According to a preliminary program that the organizers said is subject to change, the service will begin with an introduction by actor James Earl Jones at 3 p.m. EDT, followed by a welcome from talk-show host Oprah Winfrey.
The Presentation of Colors will be carried out by Adm. Robert Natter, commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet, with the New York City Inter-Agency Uniformed Color Guard and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Joint Military Color Guard.Police officers Danny Rodriguez and Ann Marie Maloney and Sgt. Kim Royster then will sing the national anthem.
Invocations will be made by Cardinal Edward Egan, archbishop of New York, and Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, chaplain of the New York City Fire Department.
The Blowing of the Shofar then will take place. The shofar, or ram's horn, is the instrument used to announce major national and religious events in Jewish life.
Rabbi Arthur Schneier will lead a Prayer for the Country, followed by Rabbi Alvin Kass, the New York City Police Department chaplain, who will lead a Prayer for the Families.
Rabbi Marc Gellman, president of the New York Board of Rabbis, will read a reflection, and Rabbi Joy Levitt will read Psalm 23.
They will be followed by Spanish tenor Placido Domingo and the Amor-Artis Chorus & Orchestra, who will sing "Ave Maria."
Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's remarks will be followed by the ringing of the bell by a police officer from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Griselda Cuevas of the Incarnation Parish in Manhattan will read in Spanish from Romans 8:36-39. Firefighter George Reece will read the same passage in EnglishThe Most Rev. Thomas V. Daily, bishop of Brooklyn, then will offer a reflection and prayer.
A Sikh prayer and reflection will be offered by Dr. Inberjit Singh of the Sikh Temple in Richmond Hills.
The Boys and Girls Choir of Harlem will then sing "Lift Every Voice and Sing," followed by remarks from Gov. George Pataki.
The Adhan Call to Prayer will be made by the Muezzin, Brother Abdul Wali Y. Shaheed, translated by Sister Zaimah Sabree and Masjid Malcolm Shabazz of Harlem.
Muslim prayer and reflection then will be offered: a prayer by Imam Fajri Ansari, a prayer by Imam Muhammad Shamsi-Ali and a reflection by Imam Izak-EL M. Pasha, a chaplain of the New York Police Department, with Lt. Sharif Nasef and Officer Adil Almonpaser.
Bette Midler then will sing "Wind Beneath My Wings," followed by the ringing of the bell by the Rev. Earnest Lyght, a bishop.
The Council of Churches of the City of New York then will offer prayer and reflection.
The Rev. Carolyn Holloway will read Psalm 34:1-8; the Right Rev. Mark Sisk will read a prayer; the Rev. Dr. James Forbes will read Matthew 5:3-12; Archbishop Anania Arapajian of the Armenian Church in America will say a prayer; the Rev. Calvin Butts, president of the Council of Churches of the City of New York, will offer a reflection; and the Rev. Dr. David Benke will say a prayer.
Country singer Lee Greenwood will then perform "God Bless the USA."
Archbishop Demetrious, the Greek Orthodox archbishop of America, will say a benediction as will Pandit Roop Sukhram of the Hindu Sreeraam Temple in Brooklyn.
The service will conclude with the Amor-Artis Chorus & Orchestra and [Marc Anthony] singing "America the Beautiful." (Original article in error stating Daniel Rodriguez singing America the Beautiful)
Most of the tickets are to be given to family members of the dead and missing as well as to rescue workers, though a limited number will be given to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis.
"The prayers are for the people missing, the people who have died and for America and for everyone that survived," Giuliani said.
Security remains a concern. No bags, backpacks, umbrellas or bottles will be permitted at the stadiums.
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Sept. 23, 2001, Ann Marie Maloney, Daniel Rodriguez and Kim Royster
October 23, 2001 CNN. com - Thousands gather for service at Ground ZeroNEW YORK (CNN) --This city mourned its dead Sunday beneath a cool, bright autumn sky in a memorial ceremony for the more than 4,600 killed or missing in the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center. Many waved American flags and clutched pictures of the loved ones they lost. Others wiped away tears. The crowd appeared to be larger than the 2,000 expected. Behind the crowd, the rubble of the twin towers still smoldered nearly seven weeks after the attacks. Recovery work, which has been going nearly round-the-clock since then, stopped for the memorial service. "It's terrible," said a tearful Mickey Giovinazo, whose son is among the missing. "I know my son is dead, so I want to be here." The 55-minute interdenominational service included a rendition of the national anthem by New York police officer Daniel Rodriguez, a performance of Samuel Barber's solemn "Adagio for Strings" and a rendition of "Ave Maria" by operatic tenor Andrea Bocelli. Cardinal Edward Egan, Roman Catholic archbishop of New York, spoke of the victims whose futures were "snuffed out" by hate-filled villains. "We have lost parents, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, husbands and wives," said Cardinal Edward Egan, Roman Catholic archbishop of New York. "They were innocent and they were brutally, viciously, unjustly taken from us .... They were good and wholesome sons and daughters of God whose lives and future were snuffed out by villains filled with violence and hate." Rabbi Joseph Potasnik of Congregation Mount Sinai in Brooklyn Heights suggested that after September 11 the country had become "the reunited states of America." "We the people of many faiths have become we the people of one family," Potasnik said. "We weep here today, but we will walk from here today to show that death may conquer life, but death will not conquer our love." Other speakers included the Rev. Franklin Graham and Muslim leader Imam Izak-el Mu'eed Pasha of New York's historic Malcolm Shabazz mosque. "Let us, as religious leaders, stand firm together and not let the differences split us apart," Pasha said. "We're one human family." Graham saluted the hundreds of firefighters, police officers and rescue workers who lost their lives in the disaster. "We will not forget their valiant effort that they made in saving the lives of thousands of people," he said. "We will not forget the personal sacrifice that they have made in the line of duty for their city, their nation and their fellow man." Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber played piano as Irish soloist Shonagh Daly sang Webber's composition, "Let Us Love in Peace," accompanied by St. Luke's Orchestra. The service closed with Metropolitan Opera soprano Renee Fleming leading the crowd in singing "God Bless America"; earlier she sang "Amazing Grace." Many people who attended the service got their first close-up look at the disaster site, where firefighters continued to hose down hot spots amid the rubble. Some in the crowd wore breathing masks to protect themselves against the fumes. "They haven't recovered anything of my father yet," one woman said. "Just to look at the destruction and know that he's somewhere in there is very difficult." Her mother said she felt so shaky she nearly passed out but didn't regret being there to remember her husband. "I had to be here, I had to be close," she said. "I had to breathe that air in and fill my lungs up with him and everybody else that's lost." Many New York leaders attended but did not speak, including Mayor Rudy Giuliani, New York Gov. George Pataki and U.S. Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Charles Schumer. According to the mayor's office, 4,167 people remain missing. Of the 506 bodies recovered, 454 have been identified. Work was halted at the site for only the second time since the disaster. The first time was October 11 for a moment of silence one month after the attack. http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/10/28/rec.memorial.service/index.html |
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Placido Domingo to Teach Tenor Cop
Oct 23, 2001 Bill Hutchinson, New York Daily News
City cop Daniel Rodriguez, the crime-busting tenor who has serenaded packed houses at Yankee Stadium with patriotic songs, has caught the ear of opera great Placido Domingo, Mayor Giuliani said last night.
"Danny is going to get to study with Placido Domingo in a couple of weeks,"said Giuliani, who hugged Rodriguez last night after the cop sang "God Bless America" during the seventh-inning stretch of the Yankee-Mariners playoff game.
"Placido heard him sing, and he's going to bring him down to Washington," Giuliani said.
Rodriguez, who works at the Manhattan South Precinct, has been a mainstay at the Stadium since the Sept. 11 attacks. This month, he received a long ovation when he opened Carnegie Hall's 111th season with a stirring performance.
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That Moving Voice Belongs to His Son
By Monique Fields, December 25, 2001
Out of the sadness of Sept. 11 has emerged the talent of a New York City police officer who has family in Clearwater.
By Monique Fields, December 25, 2001
The pride Jose Rodriguez feels for his son Daniel, the now-famous singing cop from New York, has been tempered by sorrow about the very event that catapulted Daniel to fame: the attacks on the World Trade Center.
During a November visit to New York, Jose Rodriguez looked at the gaping hole where the twin towers once stood and felt an enormous sense of sadness. He was angry that the city had been assaulted by terrorists, that America had let its guard down.
But no matter how grim, the events of Sept. 11 introduced his son's voice to the world and buoyed his musical career.
"God works in mysterious ways," said Jose Rodriguez, a Clearwater resident who is retired from New York City Transit. "Sometimes in terrible tragedies like this, somebody brings hope and joy to the world that needs it so much right now."
Daniel Rodriguez is that somebody.
"I think after Sept. 11, the call has come; and there's a need to use it even more," the younger Rodriguez said last week by telephone as he hurried to a gig as a singing Santa at Harlem Hospital Center.
Since the attacks, his moving renditions of God Bless America and the national anthem have been heard by millions. He has appeared on Today and Good Morning America and been featured in countless newspaper articles. On Dec. 11 he released a CD, and he has signed a contract for an album. In March he will study with tenor Placido Domingo.
Two or three times a year, Daniel Rodriguez visits Florida. During his last trip to the Tampa area in February, he participated in an open-mic event at an Irish pub in Ybor City and belted out tunes at Palermo's in Palm Harbor.
He received standing ovations after every song on a Saturday night, said Tony Alatis, a friend of Jose Rodriguez. He was so good he was invited back on Sunday night.
"When I heard the voice, I knew the kid was a pro," said Alatis, a former television and film producer.
When asked if he would perform in Clearwater again, Daniel Rodriguez replied: "We can work something out."
The elder Rodriguez has told strangers at the grocery store the singing cop is his son. An autographed CD, formal police officer photo and candid shot of Daniel Rodriguez with television host Regis Philbin sit on his entertainment center. And neighbors recently posted a flier alerting residents at his condominium of his famous connection.
Daniel Rodriguez's parents realized early on that he had a knack for singing. At the tender age of 12, he appeared in Oklahoma, his first musical. His grandfather was a tenor, and so is his father.
Last week Jose Rodriguez sang Jurame, or "Swear to Me," in his Clearwater condominium.
"Todos dicen que es mentira," he started in a voice a smooth as icing on a cake, "que te quiero porque nunca me han visto enamorado." In English, the song goes: "Everybody says it's a lie that I love you because they have never seen me in love."
Jose Rodriguez, 60, doesn't sing much these days. But when he was younger, he often sang at what he calls "social clubs."
Friends weren't surprised by the talent Daniel Rodriguez has displayed during the past three months. In fact, they say he has worked hard for years and deserves all of the attention he has received.
"The beautiful part of it is he wants to (be famous)," said Frank Nieves of Clearwater, who has known the younger Rodriguez since he was a teenager. "But if he doesn't make it, it's okay."
Daniel Rodriguez's stepmother agreed: "He has a lot of passion," said Nilda Rodriguez. "He has a lot of wisdom and is a very spiritual man."
Singing Cop Gives Mary Queen Of Heaven Parishioners A Treat
By Marsha Sereno, Dec 2001
Residents of Mill Basin recently experienced the thrill of a Broadway production last Saturday without ever having to leave the neighborhood in a performance called "Christmas Magic."
A group of professional musicians, including operatic tenor Police Officer Daniel Rodriguez, who makeup an ensemble called "Broadway Magic," delighted a standing-room-only audience at Mary Queen of Heaven Church with selections of Christmas music, in addition to songs from popular operas and operettas.
Founded years ago by Rodriguez, a seven-year NYPD veteran, "Broadway Magic" presents popular old and new selections from Broadway musicals, as well as operettas, sacred music and opera. Most of the ensembles work is for fundraising purposes.
Rodriguez and his partner, Jorge Novoa, credit their ability to bring "Broadway Magic" to many people who support them as well as the interest of friends and organizations such as the community mayors.
Rodriguez, who has been singing since he was 12, states that "Broadway magic" was his dream to bring music of a lost era to people all over the world.
Saturday's performance, which had been planned prior to September 11th, was dedicated to the memory of the victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit the Twin Towers Fund.
Rodriguez' talent has earned him great acclaim nationwide. He also shared some exciting personal news with the crowd - he will begin studying opera with famed tenor Placido Domingo next March.
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Singing cop soothed a city, found new fame
Amanda Barrett, December 9, 2001
Police Officer Daniel Rodriguez took center stage - literally - in helping to comfort New York in the aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks.
His melodious rendition of "God Bless America" helped soothe victims' families at the Sept. 23 Yankee Stadium prayer service. It warmed hearts at World Series' games and added patriotic spirit to the tree lighting at Rockefeller Center and numerous other public events.
Rodriguez's newfound fame has opened doors for him, including television appearances and a recording contract. His first compact disc, with the officer singing "God Bless America" and "We Will Go On," comes out Tuesday. All proceeds will benefit the Twin Towers Fund, which was set up by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to assist families of uniformed victims of the Trade Center attacks. A full, debut album will follow in January.
"The way I look at it," a grateful Rodriguez said, "from great tragedies come great blessings."
Giuliani, who voices an introduction on the CD being released this week, was effusive in his praise of Rodriguez, whom he called a "good friend."
"One of my great passions is opera, and even more than that, the tenor voice," Giuliani said yesterday. "And I love Danny. He's a wonderful human being, a great police officer. A very dedicated police officer, who happens to have been blessed by God with an absolutely incredible tenor voice."
Rodriguez, 37, who is designated one of the National Anthem singers in the New York City Police Department's ceremonial division and performs in hundreds of department events each year, had been building a career in music before the disaster.
After the September prayer service, he said, "It just kind of snowballed. People enjoyed what I was doing and got some sense of comfort or sense of national pride when they heard me. And my career went from moving upwards slowly to skyrocketing."
The Brooklyn-born father of two made his singing debut in theater arts class.
"My first role was Judge Frye in 'Oklahoma,'" he recalled. "I was this skinny little 12-year-old kid in this small T-shirt that I could hardly fill out singing, 'Poor Judd is daid. Oh, Poor Judd is daid.' It was pitiful."
His assessment of that particular performance notwithstanding, Rodriguez later was asked to join the American Youth Repertory in Manhattan, where he worked on acting and operatic singing. That led to a host of concerts, including a performance at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall when he was 17.
Rodriguez said his father, while supportive of his musical endeavors, pushed him to find a more steady income. So Rodriguez went to work for the post office, where he stayed for six years. But he continued to sing at school plays, at American Legion halls, anywhere he could.
"In my job, I was always singing, so people always knew me as a singer wherever I went, because I couldn't shut up," he said.
When he became a police officer about seven years ago, Rodriguez thought he would shelve his ardent musical pursuits.
"It's hard and you get tired of the almosts," he said.
Then, Rodriguez sang the National Anthem at his Police Academy class' graduation and became one of the department's featured singers.
In addition to the forthcoming recordings, Rodriguez's future also holds the possibility of coaching from an opera star.
"I know that he's going to be studying under Placido Domingo in the spring," Giuliani said. "And that should develop his voice even more. Danny is both a great singer and a great human being, and I'm very happy to see that he's going to have success."
Rodriguez said he is happy to help the city recover however he can.
"If I can spread a little bit of comfort and a little bit of happiness ...I am just an instrument of what I was blessed with," he said. "I give all the credit to God."
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Voice of Authority:
Singing cop Danny Rodriguez eyes full-time music career
12-11-2001. Officer.com/ 
Daniel Rodriguez, whose operatic renditions of "God Bless America" have made him a national symbol of the strong and defiant New York police officer, says that if his singing career takes off, he may have no choice but to leave the force. He doesn't want to, Rodriguez says. But singing has been his dream for more than 25 years and, at 37, he couldn't pass up his best chance to go for it.
Arresting Voice
NYPD Officer Daniel Rodriguez' renditions of 'God Bless America' ... In other words, the best job he has ever wanted could force him to give up the best job he has ever had.
Rodriguez was a street cop - he started in the 65th St. station in Bay Ridge- singing in his off hours until police brass were tipped to his voice. He has been a "singing cop" for years, part of the ceremonial unit that performs at department functions, parades, speeches, services, etc.
But since Sept. 11, the whole country has heard him. He has sung "God Bless America" and other patriotic songs at almost every major event and occasion since then at city ceremonies, at the Macy's parade, at the Rockefeller Center tree lighting, on the Imus show, on the "Today" show, on David Letterman's show, at a World Series game and at far too many memorial services for fellow uniformed officers killed that day.
Uniformly Supportive
"I never turn down a request to sing at a funeral or memorial service for a fellow uniformed officer," he says. "I never will." This tireless singing has made him a favorite with both regular people who see his powerful voice as a healing and uniting force and Mayor Giuliani. When Giuliani met Rodriguez, after a post-Sept. 11 rendition of "God Bless America," the mayor said, "You should be singing at the Met." Giuliani, who is a major opera fan, arranged for Rodriguez to meet Placido Domingo, which Rodriguez says was the biggest thrill of his life. That meeting led to an audition, and Rodriguez will be studying early next year at the Washington Opera, where Domingo is artistic director.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez also caught the ear of Manhattan Records, which signed him to a contract and no surprise, arranged for "God Bless America" to be the first single.
That recording will be released today. It contains a spoken introduction by Giuliani, who rarely misses a chance to talk about how much Rodriguez's music has helped heal the city. All proceeds are earmarked for the Twin Towers Fund.
The full CD is set to come out in February, at which point Rodriguez may have to make hard career decisions.
Not Just a Job
"I want to stay a police officer for as long as I can," he says. "I took this job because it was a good opportunity - a way to put bread on the table and pay the bills - and it turned out to be the best move I've made.
"People joke that police work is 95% boredom and 5% fear, but what I like about it is that every day is different. You never know if you're going to be stopping a robbery or helping rescue somebody or what you'll be doing. It's not the repetitiveness of a 9-to-5 job."
Rodriguez was at City Hall when the twin towers were hit. He came back to work at Ground Zero in the weeks after, leaving periodically to sing at memorial services.
"It's been very emotional," he says of the last three months. "But also very rewarding and meaningful." He mentions singing at Yankee Stadium as particularly fulfilling.
His only problem is time. A lot of days, he says matter-of-factly, he barely has time to change clothes between appearances. "The Police Department has been extremely supportive of what I've been doing," he says. "They've given me the time I need and I don't want to leave. "But music is my passion. I've always dreamed about a career as a singer. If I had the opportunity to do that, it would be very hard to turn down."
Born in Brooklyn, Rodriguez started singing at 12. He has taken voice lessons for years and his inspiration was Mario Lanza. "Technically, he may not have been the best singer," says Rodriguez. "But he had such phenomenal passion. It was when I heard him sing that I decided to become a singer myself."
Despite his fondness for opera, Rodriguez takes another direction on his debut album, closer to Broadway.
"I chose songs that mean something to me and that I think will be uplifting to other people," he says, mentioning "Bring Him Home" from "Les Miserables" and "This Is the Moment" from "Jekyll and Hyde."
He also likes John Denver. "I don't perform his songs in public," he says. "It's more a private thing. But his songs had a sense of drama to them. They went somewhere, they took you on a little trip. I like my music to do that.
"I think life takes you up and down. Just when you think things will never get better, they do. Sometimes when you think you cannot be any happier, you are. You take it all and for me, all of it goes into my music."
Badge of Honor
Rodriguez says he's in no hurry to make decisions on his future. But even if he pursues music, he says that won't diminish his pride in being a police officer.
"There used to be a time when police officers, or firefighters, were respected by everybody. Then we went into a time when they were put in a bad light, because of different things that happened.
"Now, after 9/11, I think it's back to the way it used to be. People realize we're servants of the people, and that we can be lifesavers, too. That was the worst day this city ever had, but it also united the city as never before."
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Opera singing policeman becomes toast of New York
Araminta Wordsworth
Dec 2001
The amateur opera singer who joined the police force in order to pay the bills has become famous after singing patriotic anthems anywhere and everywhere since the terrorist attacks. Now he has his first CD out, has appeared on Late Night with David Letterman and Larry King Live, and can claim Placido Domingo as a fan.
It all started with his performance at a Yankee Stadium prayer service on Sept. 23. The seven-year New York Police Department veteran belted out God Bless America in front of a capacity crowd that included Rudolph Giuliani, New York's Mayor and a long-time fan, and the Spanish-born "super-tenor" Mr. Domingo.
When Mr. Domingo gave Mr. Rodriguez, 37 and also a tenor, a thumbs up after his performance, the younger man seized the moment and asked for an audition.
Now he's taking a three-month leave of absence from policing to study in the Young Artists program at the Washington Opera, where Mr. Domingo is artistic director.
"It's the last thing I thought would ever happen," said Mr. Rodriguez, still stunned by his good fortune.
"I had always dreamed of being in the young artist program, but there came a point when I realized I was too old. When this happened, it was like an old dream revisited."
"He has a great pair of vocal cords from nature," said Mr. Domingo.
Despite the sudden nature of his fame, success has not come overnight for Mr. Rodriguez.
As the singer himself put it, "My first love is music. I've been singing since I was 12 years old and it's taken me 25 years to become an overnight sensation."
Growing up in the Sunset Park section of Brooklyn, he was inspired by his father, a transit authority employee who loved to sing. Another inspiration was the great Italian tenor, Mario Lanza.
He studied voice coaches, including Miroslav Markoff of the Opera Company, and supported himself with transient jobs like short-order cook and truck driver, singing while he waited for fame to arrive.
"In my job, I was always singing, so people always knew me as a singer wherever I went, because I couldn't shut up," he said.
But when he started a family, he knew singing alone would not be enough to pay the bills.That's when he opted for police work, entering the Police Academy at the age of 30.
There he got the first of his lucky breaks: the New York Police Department was looking for a rookie to sing the national anthem at graduation, so he marched up to the lieutenant's office and announced he wanted to audition.
"What makes you think you can sing the national anthem?" he recalled the officer asking. "I wouldn't be here if I couldn't," replied Mr. Rodriguez, who then sang it.
"Boy, you're going to be singing in Madison Square Garden" was the amazed response.
The police department quickly assigned Mr. Rodriguez to its ceremonial unit, which performs The Star-Spangled Banner at sporting events, some of them attended by Mr. Giuliani, who is also an opera buff.
"Some time ago, I decided Danny has tremendous talent," said Mr. Giuliani. "He has a really beautiful tenor voice that is quite lyrical and very powerful."
The Mayor also provides an introduction to Mr. Rodriguez's single, God Bless America, which was released last week. The second track on the disc is We Will Go On, a pop-flavoured patriotic anthem specially written for the singer.
The proceeds will go to the Twin Towers Fund that benefits the family of uniformed officers who died in the terrorist attacks.
In the works is a full CD of Broadway show tunes scheduled to be released in February.
Off duty, Mr. Rodriguez has had a parallel life as a singer: he has performed light opera and contemporary show tunes. He is a mainstay of productions by Brooklyn-based Regina Opera and has appeared at Carnegie Hall.
He is also one of the organizers of Broadway Magic, an ensemble of singers and musicians who do benefit shows in New York -- they just wrapped up several weeks of Christmas concerts.
Now, like so many in New York, his life has been inexorably changed by the terrorist attacks.
"Watching the World Trade Center's twin towers collapse didn't make me sing any better," Mr. Rodriguez said.
"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.
