Esther Bentley turned 105-years-old yesterday and is still going strong.

Family and friends attended the Packwood Rest Home to spend time with her and bid their birthday greetings, including her only daughter Earlene, who is visiting from London. When asked how her day went, the proud birthday girl said: "I loved it!"

She may be 105 but she is still sharp as a tack in vividly recalling that she was one of 10 siblings six girls and four boys.

She also remembered her younger years as a seven-year-old music student right up until her life in New York City as a working musician.

Mrs. Bentley is a Bermudian, but left for New York for the majority of life after attending the Juilliard School of music and remained in the city.

After she graduated from the prestigious school, where she studied music, drama and dance she opened her own music school and taught piano and organ and played the piano for music greats such as Count Basie.

"I love music, music is my life and it was how I made a living," Mrs. Bentley said as she tickled the ivories of the piano in the Packwood Home sitting room.

The talented musician left Bermuda at age 17 and moved back home to the Island when she was almost 90-years-old.