Meet the World’s Best Opera-Singing Bus Driver
Mike Rabinowitz is singing for his supper.
Rabinowitz drives a shuttle bus for Seabrook Retirement Community in Tinton Falls, N.J. What's so interesting about that? Well, Rabinowitz is a trained opera singer who entertains the seniors by belting out songs for them on their trips.
Rabinowitz, 51, studied at SUNY-Purchase's Conservatory of Music and spent years following his dream, waiting tables while going on auditions and looking for a breakthrough job. Unfortunately, he was hit by a car in 2011 and decided to alter his career path by working as a driver, eventually landing at Seabrook, where he began singing to the residents during car trips.
"I tell them, 'Anytime you ask, I'll sing,'" Rabinowitz said. "I studied 30 years to do this, so it's nice to hear someone say, 'I'd like to hear you sing a song.'"
Rabinowitz, who even takes requests, continues to work on his voice and takes great pleasure in the unlikely job he's landed. "This has been the most gratifying gig I've ever had," Rabinowitz said. "It's hard to find people who appreciate a trained voice. To have so many people who really enjoy my singing, it's amazing. It's wonderful."