Singing Bus Driver Croons to Riders, Nursing Home Residents on Days Off View Full Caption DNAinfo/Katie Honan

JACKSON HEIGHTS — A bus driver with an amazing set of pipes cheers up riders by singing the classics along his route — and, in his free time, visits nursing homes to entertain residents.

Matthew Bellas, 55, grew up in a musical family, singing in church folk groups and playing the guitar throughout Queens churches, he said.

He became an MTA bus driver at 40 after working odd jobs, while continuing to get more serious about his music, starting to take voice lessons and recording his first album at age 47.

A father of two who lives in Whitestone, Bellas starts his day at 6:30 a.m., mostly driving the Q32.

He doesn’t sing on every route, and picks his songs based on the day.

When it rains, he’ll sing “Singing in the Rain” or “You Are My Sunshine,” he said. On his first ride of the day, he’ll sing “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning.”

“I can quiet a bus,” he said.

Riders will usually applaud him, or tell him he made their day — “and I’ll ask them if they can find me an agent,” Bellas said.

At age 51, he decided to keep his music going on his days off by performing in nursing homes across the borough, rotating his visits between three facilities. He started as a volunteer, but now gets paid for his shows.

“I never planned to be a bus driver, never planned to be a strolling singer in nursing homes,” he said.

In the nursing homes, he goes from room to room, or floor to floor, singing Frank Sinatra, John Denver and James Taylor.

He's a crooner, and adds new songs to his repertoire every year with requests, he said. He sometimes leads groups in prayer singing church hymns, and also sings at residents' bedside.

"Old ladies love me," Bellas joked. "I play the right songs and I'm a young, handsome man in their eyes."

His next plan is to organize a tribute concert to one of his favorite singers, John Denver, to raise money to branch out to more nursing homes.

Bellas, who plays the guitar, is also looking for another guitarist to perform with him so he can focus on singing.

“It’s not about becoming famous," he said of singing. "I have a gift and I’ve found a niche. Not everyone is lucky enough to find a niche.”

He hopes to continue playing in nursing homes full-time when he retires.

"I was given a voice, and the resources," he said. "I found myself."

For more information, visit Bellas' website.