Foundation of Faith, Encouragement Ignites Passion
Standing on home plate at Hodgetown Stadium in Downtown Amarillo, Texas, overlooking a crowd of 7,000 spectators, the anticipation is high. The sweltering July 3 sun didn’t keep the crowd from the stands as they commiserate in a quintessential American experience. Loyal fans are awaiting the traditional intro to a baseball game. As the announcer pages on the intercom, “ladies and gentlemen please stand up for our National Anthem.” The people rise from their seats, hats removed and hands over their hearts.
The Amarillo Sod Poodles and the Midland Rockhounds stand together in solidarity for a moment before competing against each other. A stadium once echoing with thousands of eager voices falls silent for one man, Daniel Rigsby. He brings the microphone to his chest and takes a deep breath. His passion for music is translated into a creed that celebrates history and the freedom to enjoy America’s pasttime. The crowd roars into applause and the game begins.
Daniel, an alum of Boys Ranch, was one of two winners selected to sing the National Anthem at a Sod Poodles game. Ranking the highest out of all the contestants, Daniel got first choice of which day he sang.
Although Daniel grew up with a passion for music, he attributes his choir teacher from Boys Ranch schools, Dennis Trook, for helping him discover he had a talent for singing.
“I honestly don’t remember singing a whole lot, but in eighth grade, I remember being in choir singing on the bleachers,” Daniel said.
“Mr. Trook pulled me aside after and said I had a nice voice. He had me sing a few notes and from there he started coaching me to be more involved with singing.”
Daniel came to Boys Ranch when he was 14 years old and quickly became involved with singing quartets for choir, as well as performing in solo and ensemble, playing the baritone in band and singing the National Anthem for pep rallies. After he graduated, he continued singing as a regular part of his life. Daniel has sung the National Anthem for the Boys Ranch Rodeo twice and says it was like taking a trip down memory lane.
“A lot of my memories revolve around the Fine Arts Building,” Daniel said.
“I remember where my choir sang and where I played in band. I remember which rack was mine on the rodeo grounds, and the horticulture building. I also got to go back to the Johnson Home to have lunch. I got to relive a lot of old memories, and it was really cool.”
Aside from the Sod Poodles game and the rodeo, Daniel finds the most solace when singing for his praise band at Hillside Fellowship Church. He reconnected with God when he was a young adult.
“I quickly found out it was no longer a requirement to go to church, so I stopped going,” Daniel said. “Then a friend of mine, Holly Brandt, invited me to go to a service. She said there would be free food, so I was in.”
Throughout the years, Daniel and his wife, Kristi, became involved in church. Daniel leads the praise band and is involved with Celebrate Recovery, which helps people overcome addiction.
“I attended a revival a while ago,” Daniel said. “There was a lady I didn’t know very well who came up to me and said the Lord told her that he anointed my voice. She told me I needed to tap in and really dive into God’s word and take hold of what it means to be a worship leader. She said I was going to be able to help deliver people from things because they’re going to be able to feel God move through me.”
Daniel has carried out this mission since then. He said his most cherished performance to this day was when he sang a Christmas version of the famous Hallelujah in 2018. The song rewrites the verses to tell the story of Jesus’s birth.
The primary reason this performance is his favorite is because of how it helped him connect with his father.
“My dad was raised very much in a way where men were supposed to keep their feelings in,” Daniel said. “I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen or heard him cry. After he watched the video of me singing Hallelujah, he called me in tears. He said it was beautiful, and he could feel the passion that I have for God. That’s always going to be a special memory for me.”
Daniel is now married with four kids and works for a restoration and construction company.
He said he has many people to thank for making him the man he is today, such as house parents, James and Rebecca Strong, and their daughter, Heather; Bruce and Evangelina Gregory and Robert and Rita Brinkman; chaplains, Mike Wilhelm, Hal Blackburn and Ray Ortega; and the staff who took the time to teach him life skills he uses to this day.
“Showing unconditional love to a young kid who was angry at the world and wanted no part to do with God or anybody else is truly amazing,” Daniel said. “They helped guide me into who I am today and that’s truly amazing. I’m leading my family and worship team the best way that I know how, with God at the center. That’s thanks to everybody who is out there doing what they do.”