Retired Bay Ridge officer Daniel Rodriguez performs national anthem at Yankees game in California

Rodriguez performed at A Prayer for America: Yankee Stadium Memorial, a service where all the religions and religious leaders gathered to pray for the country following the September 11 attacks

Daniel Rodriguez performed the national anthem and “God Bless America” at Angel Stadium when the New York Yankees played the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Memorial Day May 26.

The retired police officer, who has performed the songs at many events, told this paper that the performance meant a lot to him.

“It was Memorial Day, which is always a big deal being a first responder, as never forget is our motto,” he said. “It just brings back such memories of the older days, singing for the Yankees. The Angels really treat me well. They’re a good team. I always feel very welcome at Angel Stadium. It always brings it all together for me because ‘God Bless America’ was one of the first songs I sang after 9/11.”

Rodriguez goes back a long way with both the Yankees, especially after the September 11 attacks. He sang in game 3 of the 2001 World Series at Yankee Stadium when President George W. Bush threw out the first pitch.

“It was really cool to go and see batting practice and Aaron Judge when I go out there in the field for the sound check,” he said. “It’s history and this is legacy, and these legends are brilliant.”

He was born in Brooklyn Hospital and grew up on Union Street. When he was in fifth grade, he moved to Sunset Park, then later to Bay Ridge. He moved to California eight years ago and has performed for the Angels and other teams in the state.

Rodriguez always knew he wanted to be a singer.

“I was born to sing, and my mom used to say that I would hum tunes before I could speak,” he said. “I started working in Manhattan with the American Youth Repertory doing acting to work all the aspects of the theater. I produced my first full record when I was 19.”

He also performed at Carnegie Hall at 17.

However, Rodriguez said that his road to music wasn’t always a straight line. 

“I started a family when I was 20,” he said. “My father, who was a city worker, said, ‘you got to get a real job with benefits. Stop this singing, you need a pension.’” 

He took on many jobs, including a short order cook, a cab driver, and a position at the United States Postal Service before becoming a New York City police officer.

He started his police work at the 68th Precinct, which covers Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights.

He still sang at churches and for the NYPD and became known as “The Singing Policeman.”

Highlights of his career included his performances at A Prayer for America: Yankee Stadium Memorial, a service where all the religions and religious leaders gathered to pray for the country, and opening the 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah, where he sang “God Bless America.” He also sang at the Japanese World’s Fair and sang “Kimigayo,” the country’s national anthem.

He also appeared on television shows such as “The Late Show with David Letterman” and “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

He has released nearly 20 albums. He is returning to New York to do an event for Tunnels to Towers.

“I love coming back to the neighborhood,” he said. “[Our] Lady of Angels, St. Patrick’s Church, I go to Staten Island and places that I’ve been to before, it’s kind of like going back home.”