NEWS
Singer Engelbert Humperdinck recalls his travel adventures - including a scary landing on Concorde
By RICHARD WEBBER FOR THE DAILY MAIL PUBLISHED: 06:10 EST, 10 February 2020 So what is the singer's favourite destination and what is his earliest holiday memory? Here he talks about a trip to the Isle of Man, visiting Hawaii, where he plans to head to next and a dramatic Concorde experience. Earliest holiday memory? As I was one of ten children, my parents couldn’t afford to take us on holiday. So my earliest memory was, aged 20, when my sister paid for a trip to the Isle of Man, where I attended a song contest. I won — and that led me into showbusiness. Favourite destination? Hawaii. I visited first in the Sixties with my wife, Patricia, and children. Where next? My wife has Alzheimer’s but is recuperating slowly and starting to talk again, which is wonderful. As soon as she can board a plane, I’m taking her to Barbados. Ever had a bad flight? In the Eighties, I flew on Concorde. But when we landed at Seattle, eight tyres burst and we skidded down the runway. Fire engines arrived and sprayed foam all over the aircraft. Funniest thing that happened? Because of my sideboards, someone once asked if I was Elvis. What can't you be without? My pills. I was arrested at gunpoint in Venezuela in the Seventies for having prescription tablets with me. I was held for four hours. Engelbert’s exclusive UK performance at the London Palladium is on Monday, May 4, thelondonpalladium.co.uk.
Engelbert on His Return to the Palladium on London Live
Engelbert Humperdinck's Romantic Radio
Celebrate #HumpDay with a brand new 24/7 Engelbert Humperdinck romantic radio live stream full of the legendary singer's greatest hits and love songs!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc1qBXy9UlM
Sunday with Engelbert Humperdinck: My dreams are the blueprints of my reality
Nick McGrath, The Guardian, January 19, 2020
To relax at the weekends, the singer enjoys Scrabble, golf and riding his Harley-Davidson
How do you start the day? I get up at at 6.30am. I watch a little TV – usually the news – to wake up my mind, and then I do exercises, followed by breakfast.
Who’s the first person you speak to? My life has changed since my wife, Patricia, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, that terrible disease. So now when I go downstairs, I usually just sit down and have a cup of tea or coffee and do my crosswords. The first people I talk to are the live-in carers who help me look after her. I’m pleased to say that Patricia is making some progress. She’s starting to talk a little. She said ‘Good morning’ to me this morning, which was rather lovely.
What’s for breakfast? I tend to smoke the whole house out because I fry chilli and onions for my favourite Sunday breakfast: chilli, egg and onions on toast.
How do you relax? I spend time playing golf, at a course two miles from our Beverly Hills home, where I’ll grab some lunch and a nice glass of wine in the clubhouse. If I really want to let my hair down I’ll ride my Harley-Davidson around the Hollywood Hills. Sometimes I’ll get to the lights, pull up my visor, and see people next to me do a double take: ’Oh my God, it’s Engelbert Humperdinck.’ I don’t mind. Recognition is one of the greatest compliments you can have.
Are Sundays active? Sunday is Scrabble day. Friends come over and we sit down and play. I love it. I love words.
Signing off on Sundays… My LA home has four floors. I’m on the top floor and the carers live on the second floor with my wife, so the last thing I do on Sunday night – and every night – is give Patricia a kiss and tell her that I love her and that I’ll see her in the morning. I dream music and if I have a strong idea for a song I’ll wake up, record it on my phone then record it the next day. My dreams are the blueprints of my reality.
Engelbert Humperdinck plays the London Palladium on 4 May
Engelbert Humperdinck: Aloha from L.A.
An exclusive chat with your nonna’s favorite singer January 1, 2020 Katherine Yeske Taylor, Rock and Roll Globe “Aloha! I’m saying ‘aloha’ because I just came back from Hawaii,” says Engelbert Humperdinck, calling from his home in Los Angeles. The legendary singer is cheerful and charming despite suffering from severe jet lag after returning from an extensive string of overseas shows. “It’s been a hectic tour – I’ve done six countries in just over 14 days,” he says, listing off several Asian nations as well as the Hawaii stop. And he’s not done yet: in two days, he’ll set off for several more concerts, this time spanning the continental United States. This would be an exhausting work schedule for anyone, let alone someone of Humperdinck’s age (he’s 83 years old). But he’s intent on promoting his latest EP, Reflections, a 5-song collection of the type of grandly melodic songs that have made him an iconic singer since his career first took off more than 50 years ago. He is nicknamed “The King of Romance,” and with good reason: his songs often tell unabashedly emotional love stories. “It’s got some things on it that I particularly love very much,” Humperdinck says of Reflections. In particular, he’s proud of the song “I’m Glad I Danced with You (Candlelight Mix),” on which he duets with his granddaughter, Olivia. He says her performance is “totally amazing, and I mean that most sincerely. She sang it with passion and with meaning.” He says he’s also extremely fond of the song “Don’t Let the Old Man In,” written by Toby Keith, which is about resisting the aging process – bolstered by the memorable line, “Ask yourself how old you’d be / If you didn’t know the day you were born.” “I fell in love with that song because all the lyrics have my sentiments entirely,” Humperdinck says. “I don’t want to get old. You know, I’m about 53 [years old] now, I have to think about these things!” he jokes. “I act and talk and dress as young as I possibly can. Not too young, but young enough to say, ‘This guy doesn’t look his age.’” To check out how youthful Humperdinck looks these days, fans should seek out the music video for the EP’s first single, “You” (as of this writing, it has already logged almost a quarter of a million views on YouTube, even though it was just released in mid-September). This is, in fact, his first-ever official music video. “[It] was a breath of fresh air, and it was nice for me to do it,” Humperdinck says. “Hopefully it will take my career on to another step.” Indeed, at a time when most performers would think about retiring, Humperdinck is still showing the same type of work ethic and persistence that helped him launch his career in the first place. “I want to tell you something: I’ve auditioned many, many times, and I’ve been rejected. The first condition of communication is the willingness to take rejection, and I took it so many times, but you know what? If you don’t knock on doors, they’re not going to open. So I knocked on doors. I knew that one day, one door will open, and it did.” Even so, Humperdinck says he had “no idea” that his career would become this successful. Growing up in England, he says he “was not going to be a singer – I was going to be a saxophone player, and I thought I would be a big band leader.” But he switched courses when, at 17 years old, “I got up and sang in a club and I got a standing ovation for it, and I thought to myself, ‘This is what I want to do.’ So I started singing from then onwards.” At the time, he was performing using his birth name, Gerry Dorsey. But even with his impressive singing ability, he still didn’t find real success until his late 20s when, in a now-famous move, he took the stage name “Engelbert Humperdinck.” This had the desired effect of grabbing people’s attention long enough for them to check out his shows and discover that he was a true talent. Since his debut recording, Release Me (1967), he has gone on to release more than 60 studio albums (plus many live albums and compilation albums), which have collectively sold a staggering 140 million copies worldwide. His singles, such as “Release Me” and “The Last Waltz,” are among the most recognizable songs ever recorded. His song “Ten Guitars,” originally released as the B-side to “Release Me,” has been adopted as the unofficial national anthem of New Zealand, of all things (a development that Humperdinck calls “amazing”); there is a re-recorded version of that track on the Reflections EP. But even with such an impressive history of hits, Humperdinck is still ambitious: “I’m still not giving up – I’m still trying to get another song that’s going to hit the top of the charts.” He thinks his success has a lot to do with the type of songs that he has chosen to sing. “I personally enjoy songs that have a great deal of meaning. A song that has a storyline attached to it, that people have lived by, and that I’ve lived by – so when people hear it, they say, ‘That sounds like part of me.’ And I like to get involved with very good melodies that last forever, not ones that you can’t hum a few bars after you’ve heard it the first time.” As he prepares for this next tour, Humperdinck says he’s still mindful, even now, that he must continue to earn fans’ respect. “Each and every audience has their own reaction, and believe me, it’s nerve-wracking not knowing what you’re going to receive. But when you finally achieve your goal, it’s quite rewarding.” He cites his recent concert in Japan as a perfect example of this: “I haven’t been [there] in many, many years, and I had to win them back. They were a very reserved audience, and therefore, it took a bit of work. But in the end, I got them, and they were standing up right in front, like at a rock show!” he says, delighted. All those fans he’s won over will undoubtedly be happy to know that he’s already planning to record another album next year. “I don’t know what it’s going to be about, but nevertheless, I hope it has a memorable existence because that’s the way I like my records, so that they stay around forever.” https://rockandrollglobe.com/pop/engelbert-humperdinck-aloha-from-l-a/
LIVE: ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK November 30, 2019
Todd 'ToddStar' Jolicoeur | 7 December 2019 | 100 Percent Rock
Due to a shift in travel (thanks to a medical episode), I found myself heading to Las Vegas after Thanksgiving. After a quick perusal of shows in Vegas while I was scheduled to be in town, there was one that caught my eye and I immediately reached out to one of my publicist friends and asked for a last minute favor. Within a short time, I was hooked up and added this to my agenda in LV and counted down to the moments I would be photographing the legend Engelbert Humperdinck. As I readied for the show I observed as an excited crowd filled up the Orleans Showroom for the second of three capacity shows. The show started off as the band took their spots and their respective instruments and started up and the crowds anticipation and excitement grew exponentially until Engelbert made his way to the front of the stage and launched into the Cole Porter classic “Begin the Beguine.” The crowd lost their minds and I was in awe from that moment until the last notes of the show played out. You hear stories and know there is something to a performer that has had a career as long as Engelbert has had, but when you see it first hand… it is mind blowing. I continued clicking away as he and his band made their way through “Am I That Easy to Forget” and “My World (Il Mondo)” captivating the audience and taking them through songs from his catalog. While I stepped out to load my gear up and grab a copy of his most recent CD, I missed a song but made my way to my seat to catch one of the most recognizable tracks from his huge discography – “After the Lovin'” and I found myself joining Humperdinck and the rest of the crowd singing along to this phenomenal track. Parts of the show were very storyteller-like, as he introduced various tracks with anecdotes about the track, including the tandem of Dean Martin tracks “Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime” and “Quando, Quando, Quando.” Moving from Martins to Mars, he introduced his own version of the Bruno Mars track “Just The Way You Are.” The show is about the music, but you cannot ignore the way Humperdinck uses his music, memories, and a lot of jokes (not just cheesy ones either) to genuinely entertain the audience. Another highlight for me during the show was the introduction of a song written by one of his children about one of the first memories he has with his wife of more than 50 years. As he finished telling the story behind “I’m Glad I Danced With You” and how the recorded version includes his granddaughter Olivia, he proudly proclaimed she was in the venue and she joined him on stage for an amazing performance that will stand out in my mind for a while. He allowed her to take the stage for a solo track after that and then resumed the show with the tour namesake track “Angel on My Shoulder.” As a performer that understands you are only as good each night as the band behind you, he took time during the medley of “I Can’t Stop Loving You / Eye of the Tiger” to allow each member to shine on their respective instruments. He thanked the audience for standing behind him all these years and for all the fan mail and letters of support for his wife (who has been battling Alzheimer’s for over a decade) and dedicated “Love Letters” to each and every one of the audience members. After a couple covers – Toby Keith’s “Don’t Let the Old Man In” and “That’s Life” made famous by Frank Sinatra, Engelbert launched into arguably one of his biggest hit “The Last Waltz” and again, the crowd joined in and we all sang and swayed together in our seats. As the showed wound down, I was caught off guard as seemingly half the audience jumped from their seats and rushed the front of the stage for one of the tracks I was most excited to hear – “Release Me.” The smiles and appreciation flowed from the stage to the audience and back again as we all basked in the amazing performance we had just witnessed. As the final song of the evening as played, I was amazed with the care and love for his fans Engelbert showed. He pointed, smiled, winked, and for the crowd that formed around the front of the venue, he shook every hand that was within his reach. This is a show NOT to be missed if it hits your area when he resumed touring in January 2020. I personally cannot wait for him to land in Detroit in February. Thanks to Rey and AM Management for the amazing opportunity!
Setlist: Begin the Beguine – Am I That Easy to Forget – My World (Il Mondo) – A Man Without Love – After the Lovin’ – Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime – Quando, Quando, Quando – Another Time Another Place – Just The Way You Are – I’m Glad I Danced With You – Angel on My Shoulder – I Can’t Stop Loving You / Eye of the Tiger – Love Letters – Don’t Let the Old Man In – That’s Life – The Last Waltz – This Moment in Time / The Way It Used to Be / Les bicyclettes de Belsize / There Goes My Everything / Spanish Eyes / Love Is All – You – Release Me – How I Love You
https://100percentrock.com/live-reviews/201912/255364/nggallery/slideshow
Review: Engelbert Humperdinck charms on new Reflections EP
By Markos Papadatos, Digital Journal November 30, 2019 On November 15, veteran music star Engelbert Humperdinck released his latest EP "Reflections" via the record label, OK! Good Records. It opens with his moving ballad "You," for which he released a poignant music video for the song, and it immediately breaks into the Toby Keith-penned "Don't Let the Old Man In," which is bittersweet and compelling. Equally impressive is the expressive and heartfelt "Angel on My Shoulder," and it is followed by "I'm Glad I Danced with You," a special duet with his granddaughter Olivia. The five-track EP closes with the mid-tempo and catchy "Ten Guitars." His new Reflections EP is available on Apple Music and on Spotify. These new songs resonated well with the Long Island audience when he performed thy last week at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury. The Verdict Overall, Engelbert Humperdinck shines on his Reflections EP. It is warm, soulful, cathartic and filled with raw emotions. Humperdinck proves that he is one timeless artist that only gets better with age and experience.
Review: Engelbert Humperdinck fantastic at The Theatre at Westbury
By Markos Papadatos Digital Journal November 24, 2019 Westbury - On November 23, veteran pop star Engelbert Humperdinck performed at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury, for a good turnout of fans. He began his Westbury set with "Begin the Beguine," where he was greeted with a standing ovation from the Long Island audience. It was followed by the mid-tempo and catchy "Am I That Easy to Forget," as well as "My World (Il Mondo)" and "A Man Without Love." Humperdinck invited two of his female background vocals on stage with him for the upbeat "Quando, quando, quando," which included a neat dance number. He displayed his rich and controlled voice on "Another Time Another Place" and he shared the story of meeting Bruno Mars at the age of five and telling him that he was going to be a "mega-star" someday, and it turned out that Humperdinck was right. In return, he delivered a stirring ballad version of Bruno Mars' Grammy award-winning hit single "Just The Way You Are." One of the most moving moments of the show was his granddaughter, Olivia, appearing on the televised screen with him and singing a duet of "I'm Glad I Danced With You," which left many in tears and earned him yet another standing ovation. He also incorporated "Angel on My Shoulder" as a singalong with the crowd. Humperdinck also took the time to give a shoutout to a "great actress" in the audience, Jill Hennessy from the hit NBC series Crossing Jordan and Law & Order, who was in awe of the pop crooner's talent. He immediately broke into "I Can't Stop Loving You," and during an instrumental version of "Eye of the Tiger," he went on to introduce his band members. Humperdinck shared that "Love Letters" was inspired after reading the heartfelt fanmail that his fans sent him, and the Toby Keith-penned "Don't Let the Old Man In" felt autobiographical to him so he felt compelled to "steal the song." He tipped his hat to the late but great Frank Sinatra with "That's Life" and equally remarkable was his enthralling version of "The Last Waltz." Humperdinck also sang a medley of such songs as "This Moment in Time," "The Way It Used to Be," "There Goes My Everything," and the sultry "Spanish Eyes," which he sang with maximum heart and soul. He treated his audience to his music video of "You" on the giant televised screen as he sang along to the expressive ballad. Humperdinck closed his set with such powerhouse songs as "Release Me" and "How I Love You," both of which received standing ovations. Ever gracious, he expressed his gratitude to his fans for being with him for 53 years. The Verdict Overall, Engelbert Humperdinck was terrific at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury. His velvet vocals are as resonant as ever, and he was able to take his fans and listeners on a journey through time with his music. His music is timeless and still relevant to this day as when he first recorded these classic tunes. Humperdinck's live set onLong Island garnered five out of five stars.
Engelbert Humperdinck talks longevity, touring and dedicated fans
By Markos Papadatos Digital Journal, November 20, 2019
On November 20, veteran British pop star Engelbert Humperdinck chatted with Digital Journal about his upcoming show at Westbury, the key to longevity in his career and he expressed his gratitude to his loyal fans, who have been with him for 53 years.
Humperdinck will be performing at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury on Saturday, November 23. "The year has gone by so quickly, I will be there in a few days," he said. "It's a show that I've taken around the world. I just got back from a heavy 14 days in six different countries."
"I have some great, heavy-duty songs in my show," he admitted. "My songs give me a chance to express my feelings and take what is happening in my life and bring it out on stage. It seems to work."
His Reflections EP was released on November 15, 2019 via OK! Good Records. On his new Reflections EP, "That idea was a pretty good idea from my producer. We are bringing back songs that people have heard in their lives such as 'Don't Let the Old Man In,' which is a song that I stole from Toby Keith, who wrote it, sing it and released it. That song had my sentiments in its lyrics. I took the song and I recorded it and you will hear my rendition on stage in Westbury. It gets a massive applause, and it really strikes home to me. That song helps me stay young."
Regarding the key to longevity in his career, Humperdinck said, "I love what I do and why I am doing it. I keep doing the right things and I try to sing the right songs. I stay in touch with my audience on social media."
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he shared, "I am living the best part of my life right now." "My wife has had Alzheimer's for the past 10 years, I've asked people around the world to pray for her and she is getting better," he said.
"I wrote a little something for my life: 'Although I cannot love her as a lover, I gave up on her beauty as she sleeps, I wonder if she feels me by her side, I gently touch her shoulder... I whisper loving words in her ear, I pray that soon I will say them aloud and she will hear me and I will see her smile as if to say: 'you know, I seem to have heard those words before.' Only then, shall I say, with all my heart, 'welcome home, my love'."
For his dedicated fans, he said, "I talk to my fans every Tuesday. I tell things that are happening in my life. The fans have been very supportive of me for the last 53 years. I haven't been to Tokyo in a very long time but my fan club was at the airport to meet me with flowers and gifts. I have a very, very loyal following, which is almost a cult followin
To learn more about iconic British pop star Engelbert Humperdinck, check out his official website and his Facebook page.
Evergreen singer Engelbert Humperdinck serenades fans in Melaka for charity
Mark Ryan Raj Malay Mail 14 November 2019 PETALING JAYA, Nov 14 — Renowned English vocalist Engelbert Humperdinck wowed a full house of loyal fans recently during a concert in Melaka as part of his world tour. The 83-year-old singer, who was born in Chennai (then Madras), India, performed a medley of romantic songs for his fans at the Raja Chulan Grand Ballroom in the newly-opened AMES Hotel in Melaka. Backed by a six-piece band, two female vocalists, and under the musical direction of David Arana on grand piano, Humperdinck dazzled his fans with his dulcet voice as the crowd swayed and grooved to the rhythm of his tunes. Humperdinck, whose real name is Arnold George Dorsey, started the night off by performing two of his well-known hits Release Me and The Last Waltz, followed by Don’t Let the Old Man In, amongst a number of his endearing and intimate ballads. His performance was truly a remarkable one for the crowd as the entertainer kept the audience locked onto his powerful stage presence throughout the entirety of the 90-minute concert, never once showing signs of slowing down despite his age. “We are very proud and honoured to have a legendary singer and his entourage here at AMES Hotel,” said AMES Hotel’s general manager Balachandran G. Pillay in a press release. “The team here extends the best of our hospitality services to them and we hope they have enjoyed our warm welcome. We also thank Jojo Events for giving us the opportunity to host such a great concert here.” Before the concert, there was also a charity dinner, Majlis Makan Malam Bersama Engelbert Humperdinck, at the hotel, where a portion of the proceeds from the dinner was channelled to Yayasan Toh Puan Zurina. Yayasan Toh Puan Zurina is a haemodialysis centre in Melaka that provides free treatment for underprivileged patients in the area. Humperdinck’s concert in the historical coastal state is also the first international concert in the state, which was jointly organised by Yayasan Toh Puan Zurina and Jojo Events. Humperdinck is one of the famed singing sensations of yesteryear with a huge fanbase all over the world, having sold more than 140 million records including 64 golden albums and 23 platinum albums. He also has a Golden Globe to his name and has racked up four Grammy nominations in his career, along with his very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Las Vegas Walk of Fame. https://sg.news.yahoo.com/evergreen-singer-engelbert-humperdinck-serenades-084246946.html