Art of Aging: Barbara Trent singing with a passion

HAMILTON, N.J. (WPVI) -- Every other Wednesday evening, you can find Barbara Trent at Mafalda's in Hamilton, New Jersey wearing one of her many hats and singing a soulful tune.

"She brings excitement to this place. When people come to see her, they sing along with her. She makes everybody smile," Mafalda's co-owner Anthony Lettera said.

"You can call me a 'Trent-head,' with pride, definitely. Anywhere Barbara Trent is going to be, I'm going to be following along," Elaine Daidone of Robbinsville, NJ said.

Barbara has been singing her entire life.

"Since I was 2 years old, and, as most black artists do, I started in church," Trent said.

And from the start, her voice has touched hearts.

"I never thought about being a star or anything, but I knew whenever I got up to sing a song in church, the ladies would start to cry, and, of course, in the Baptist church, they shout," Trent said.

She says she prefers the standard tunes, like Frank Sinatra, and every time she sings, she prays her music will bring joy to her listeners.

"My husband and I kind of met and fell in love together over her music; we credit Barbara for our marriage," Daidone said.

"There's always a crowd that follows her around, asks, 'Where is Barbara singing tonight?'" Ann Cannon of East Windsor, NJ said.

"I would sing if they never paid me because I sing because I'm happy, there's a song I sing, 'I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free,'" Trent said.

Now 76 years old, the chanteuse says she has no plans to hang up her microphone.

"I will not retire. I will just keep singing as long as I have a voice and as long as I feel good," Trent said.