Dennis Rodriguez, a Los Angeles City, CA Local 112 Firefighter and Paramedic with the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), sang the national anthem at the 2025 NBA All-Star Game, held at the Chase Center in San Francisco on February 16 2025.
Dennis Rodriguez commented on his appearance: “I’ve been with the LAFD for over 10 years, and I’ve been serving this community for 20 years and having the opportunity to sing the national anthem at the All-Star Game was truly a dream come true.
“This moment wasn’t just about me — it’s about all the fire fighters and first responders who give their all every day.”
Rodriguez has performed at events all across California for the LAFD: “It’s an incredible honor every time I’m asked to perform the anthem. To do it on such a big stage was amazing.”
Music has always been a part of his life. His father, a professional singer, inspired him to start performing at a young age.
Rodriguez added: “I started playing the saxophone when I was 9. And that led to me singing on stage more seriously when I was 15.”
His love for music and connection with the fire service led him to this big moment. It started back in 2015 when a video of Rodriguez singing was shared around the LAFD.
He retold the story: “One of my classmates found a video of me performing and it spread. Before I knew it, I was asked to sing the national anthem at the Academy.
“That’s when I became the unofficial, official national anthem singer for LAFD.”
When the opportunity came to perform at the NBA All-Star Game, Rodriguez said: “I was more excited than nervous.
“I’ve performed the anthem in front of big events before, so I knew how to calm myself down. Once I got through the first verse, I was focused on delivering the best performance I could.”
Local 112 shared their pride on social media with a post of the performance writing: “This is something you don’t see every day! Great job, FF/PM Dennis Rodriguez!”
Rodriguez spoke on the comparison between fighting fire and singing on large stages: “When you’re on stage, you can have the best singer in the world, but if they’re not engaging the audience or showing any enthusiasm, people will lose interest fast.
“It’s the same when I’m on a call. Even if I’m having a rough day, it doesn’t matter — I make sure I give my best on every call.”
The national anthem at the 2025 NBA All-Star Game was performed by Dennis Rodriguez, a Los Angeles City, CA Local 112 Firefighter and Paramedic with the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Rodriguez spoke of his appearance, saying this moment wasn’t just about me — it’s about all the fire fighters and first responders who give their all every day.
