That includes East Jersey State Prison Administrator Alfaro Ortiz. Back when Ortiz was the Northern administrator, he put out a casting call of sorts in an effort to find staff members capable of performing a rendition of the "Star Spangler Banner" at a promotion ceremony for sergeants.

"I knew we had people who could sing, so it was just a matter of finding them," Ortiz said. "I actually had an audition in my office, and we came up with five officers, including Sgt. Anderson, who went on to do a really impressive a capella version of the National Anthem at the sergeants' ceremony. The next time we needed the National Anthem sung at an event, Sgt. Anderson was the only one of the five who was available. That turned out to be the beginning of a tradition."

Indeed.

For the past several years, Anderson has sung the National Anthem at virtually every Correctional Staff Training Academy graduation, as well as at numerous other New Jersey Department of Corrections events.

"Every time I see Sgt. Anderson perform at a graduation, I feel a sense of pride," Ortiz said. "I think back to that audition in my office and realize that I more or less discovered him.

"I've been called the Ed Sullivan of Corrections," he added, laughing.

Music has been a part of the 38-year-old Anderson's life for as far back as he can remember. He inherited his love of music from his father, Rudy, who in the mid-1950s was the lead singer of a doo wop quartet known as The Wheels, who are best remembered for the hit song "My Heart's Desire."

Both of his parents sang with an orchestra, and Anderson recalls having to sit through the seemingly endless rehearsals in the weeks and days leading up to performances.

"My brothers and sisters and I thought those rehearsals would go on forever," he said, "but the one positive element is that we used to mimic what we heard."

Although Anderson, whose musical style reminds some listeners of the late Sam Cooke, sang well enough to win a handful of talent competitions, he never had visions of following in his father's footsteps by singing for a living.

"Singing was something I enjoyed doing, but I had so many other interests that I didn't really attack it," he said. "My dad used to tell me how he'd spend so much time on the road, living out of hotels, working late, then waking up early the next morning for radio interviews. That lifestyle didn't appeal to me, so I never seriously thought about singing professionally.

"Besides," he continued, "even back then, I wanted to be a cop."

Following a stint in the Navy, his ambition still hadn't changed.

"Right after my discharge, I happened to meet a Newark police officer, and I asked him what I needed to do to join the department," Anderson said. "He told me I'd just missed the exam but that Northern State Prison was giving exams to potential correction officers. I figured that would be a good stepping stone to eventually becoming a police officer, so I took the exam and was hired in 1991.

"I've been with the Department of Corrections ever since. Quite honestly, I truly enjoy what I do. You have your good and bad days, but I wouldn't trade this career for the world."

In recent years, his singing voice has become a significant part of his career in Corrections.

"I've been given an opportunity to contribute something in my own way to graduation ceremonies and other departmental events," said Anderson, who also sings in his church choir on a weekly basis. "Through music, you can change a person's attitude. Sing an upbeat happy song, and you can put a smile on someone's face.

"I feel so fortunate that music is part of my life. That's why I'll continue to sing - both in and out of work - until I'm unable to sing anymore."