Debra Lynn Rodriguez live from the Oakhouse

My name is Debra Lynn Rodriguez and I am a soul singer, a storyteller, and a stargazer. I am tattooed, often barefoot, and was raised singing in the hills of Appalachia. As a singer, I draw from a deep well of musical tradition. My earliest memories are of singing at my mama’s piano, tambourine in hand. I am heavily influenced by blues, gospel, folk, and rock and roll. It’s those roots along with my own experiences, life in community, and chasing the Big Mystery which most inspire my songwriting.    As a worship leader, I care deeply that worship is about more than a routine visit to temple or synagogue or church, but is a lifestyle which employs and influences every aspect of our human experience. I intentionally engage diverse communities to explore how faith and worship intersect everyday life. I love to witness as people discover faith and spirituality through authentic and personal experiences and I work to help facilitate the opportunity for those discoveries.   Since 2011, I've served as Pastor of Worship and Director of Arts at The Gathering Place Atlanta (lgbtchurch.com) and you can find me leading worship in all kinds of places - people's homes, on a sidewalk, in the woods, even live on Facebook! In 2016, I started a little project called Glory Tribe, a rag-tag gathering of Mystery-seekers from all over the world. We gather weekly to consider and re-envision our ideas and approaches to worship and community. We've embarked on a journey together to learn and teach the art of living worship. I think it's going pretty well. ​ I released my first full-length album of original music in 2015, a second live album in 2018, and am currently cozying up to a brand new batch of Appalachian Soul tunes for a studio record later this year.  https://www.debralynnrodriguez.com