NEWS
Humperdinck not quite ready for 'The Last Waltz'
By Christine Cole, Orlando Sentinel, January 10, 2016
MOUNT DORA — "(Please) Release Me" was a monster hit for Engelbert Humperdinck in 1967 — so big that it held on to the No. 1 slot for 56 weeks, denying The Beatles their 13th straight chance at the top slot with "Penny Lane" and making the English singer a star.
The 79-year-old performer, who has cut down his tours from 300 to 90 per year, will appear Tuesday at the Mount Dora Community Building and Wednesday at the Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center in The Villages. Both concerts begin at 7 p.m.
"Performing is not a job for me, it's a way of life," Humperdinck said. "It's something I love to do."
Born Arnold George Dorsey in Madras, India, the easy-going Humperdinck, known for his lavish stage productions, has sold 150 million records including hits "The Last Waltz," "After the Lovin' " and "Quando, Quando, Quando."
Don't call him a crooner, though. He points to his 3 1/2 octave range and said he sees himself as a stylized performer and a contemporary singer. He is one of the few singers of his generation — think Tony Bennett — to cross over and find new fans in successive generations.
He was one of the first singers to wear a leather jumpsuit and to grow lamb-chop sideburns and gets the credit for passing both on to one of his heroes, Elvis Presley.
"He was amazing," Humperdinck said. "As an artist, I've never seen anyone better. I loved his humility and his humor, which was often self-deprecating. I took a leaf from his book."
He rides a Harley, plays golf and tennis in Southern California, does two crossword puzzles each morning and sometimes writes poems.
"Poetry is a release valve for me," he said. "The crosswords are just to turn over my mind, to keep it active."
He also loves to watch TV, citing "Two and a Half Men" and YouTube, where he watches his past performances, looking for ideas for his next shows.
His fans, known as Humperdinckers, have always been drawn to his good looks, even though he has had to color his hair since it went gray when he was in his 20s.
His latest album is "Runaway Country." "Engelbert Calling," from 2014, features "duets" with singers such as Elton John and Willie Nelson.
To celebrate his 80th birthday, Humperdinck will release a documentary about his life in May.
He scoffs at singers who just stand there and sing.
"They are not trying to experience what they are trying to say," he said. "When I'm on stage, I use my face and my body. I don't let the audience think of anybody but me."
Tickets for the Mount Dora performance are $85 to $300 and can be purchased by calling 407-603-9215 or at mountdoralive.com.
Tickets for The Villages performance are $20 to $140 and are available at thesharon.com, at The Villages box offices or by calling 352-750-5411.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/os-lk-englebert-humperdinck-mount-dora-20160106-story.html