Biography

Born in the late 1950’s Dan grew up on the lower east side of Cleveland, Ohio. Captain Merrick enlisted in the Army in 1979 and moved up in the ranks before completing officers training and was honorably discharged in 2004 as a Captain DAV.

Dan has appeared on Cornerstone Christian Television’s ‘His Place’ as a commentator, and was featured in Real Profits newsletter as a successful real estate investor.


Author Singer Songwriter Daniel W. Merrick, Ph.D. has appeared on TV and Radio world wide “FAITH RADIO” is heard on AM/FM markets and on the internet streaming live world wide on Anchor.FM/FaithRadio . in Fall 2021 Dan began hosting “Yah’s Way TV” Show world wide which aired weekly on The Now Network. Dan Also authored several translation of the Bible restoring sacred name of Yah, Yahweh, YahuWah and Yahshua, Yahushua for the growing Messianic community. Additional titles at Amazon.com

Dan has been a Songwriter with ASCAP membership and has received over 10 ASCAP Popular Music Awards with his released CD Aliyah in 1993 which charted int the TOP40 on CCM Countdown in 1994 with his song “Like Stephen”.

Dan has appeared on tour in former soviet union and in Europe as well as at events in the United States. Dan is the president of his Family History organization which does genetic DNA Genealogy research and has published books on his Walsh and Jewish family lines which he has researched over 15 years. Dan’s father was a World War II vet which inspired his song “Wrong’s Not Right” during the covid pandemic.


Dan’s Mom was a famous LOWES girl in the 1940’s and worked for Mildred and Fusmith advertising as an artist and model. She was born in Indiana Pennsylvania and went to school with the famous Jimmy Stewart. So Dan grew up at many meet and greets with some of the greatest stars of the silver screen era gone by. Dan’s Mom affectionately know to her Hollywood friends as ‘Lolly’, past away in 1998.


Danny attended Collinwood High School where he was in the Top 20 singers and a member of a band at church entitled the Teen Revivers. The group opened for many famous gospel music groups such as the Singing Rambo’s and sang at several evangelistic meetings and church events. Dan taught himself the Guitar and later learned how to play the piano. He worked with Ralph Delany at the Collinwood Arts Center and developed a summer music project to help inner-city kids to form groups to perform across the city.
While in high school, Dan attended London Bible College and completed his degree in Bible Missions in 1976 at Chicago Bible College. Dan graduated from high school a year earlier in 1975 having completed his diploma in 3 years instead of the usual 4.

Dan was always a dreamer and became well known as an impressionist and voice talent. In 1977 Dan graduated from the Nashville School Of Broadcast Technique which was then known as the Ohio School Of Broadcast Technique. Dan completed the Broadcast Announcing and Production course and received his FCC 3rd Class Broadcast endorsed license. (Back when you had to past the test).


Dan worked with several local radio stations and held a few different jobs before joining the US Army in 1979. While in the Army Dan completed his basic training at Fort Dix in New Jersey and moved on to Aberdeen Proving Grounds for advanced training. There Dan received Solider of the month and graduated at the top of his class. After a tour in Germany and traveling around Europe, Dan went on to Join the Ohio National Guard and get his Bachelor degree in Psychology. Dan was commissioned an officer in 1982 and went to Fort Knox for training. While at Fort Knox Kentucky Dan attended the University of Louisville, Kentucky University, and several other special training schools. Dan got his Masters Degree in Vocational Education while in Kentucky. In 1990 Dan was ordained a minister.


After Desert Storm, Dan went into recovery for injuries he had while in the service and to spite Doctors belief to the contrary, Dan was able to walk again. During rehabilitation, Dan got his PhD in Biblical Linguistics. 1992, Dan’s injuries were causing him a great deal of pain and he was forced into the welfare system waiting for military benefits. In 2004 Dan retired from military service with his 3rd Honorable discharge as a service connected disabled veteran.


After struggling for almost a decade, Dan and his wife Olga started RDJ Catalog, Inc. as a direct sales business. Dan got the idea from his Dad’s sales jobs on the side since Dan was a little boy. Robert Merrick past away in 2000 and Dan took his company to great heights doing motivational teaching, consulting, and selling.


Dan’s appearances on Lifetime Network, CCT, TCT and the NOW Network as a successful investor and on Radio and TV as a singer songwriter author and preacher has gained a fan base that inspires him to keep writing music with his new release “Mercy” as an album in July 2024.


Dan has received the Ronald Regan Business Achievement Metal from the US Congress and served on the President’s Council on Small Business. Dan’s motivational speeches and provocative inspirational stories seem to bring a new light on the business and economic environment that has created a demand for his insights into unique prospective on modern corporate Americana. His sales and motivational presentations have riveted and entertained audiences with profound relevance of achievement science. Dan also is a media news technical adviser on military affairs and operations. As the President of RDJ Catalog, Inc. Dan inspired others as a consultant on business, investment, real estate, motivation, sales, and achievement.


With numerous press coverage’s of his successes, Dan’s entertaining and inspiration formula will make for a memorable read with over 50,000 books sold and a Gold Record for over 600,000 streams of his songs on the new album “Mercy” which includes several released singles from 2020 to 2024 as well as a few favorites from his first album “Aliyah” in 1993.


Dan’s books are linked to his Amazon Page at YahuahBible.org and his Music is at all the streaming sites and at AMAZON MUSIC

If you want to meet Dan in person you can find him around with the GEM-D band in western PA or NY or at Veterans events treating his PTSD and helping others. Dan retired from ministry in 2023 due to health issues but he still writes songs and records them sometimes with local musicians and friends.