NEWS

by Metropol

Sunday 28 June was a cold evening in Christchurch, so leaving the warmth of a fire to head out wasn’t an easy decision. Added to that was some uncertainty about what to expect from an Engelbert Humperdinck concert. After all, he had just turned 90, and while I knew many of his songs, I wouldn’t have described myself as a devoted fan.

Any doubts disappeared within minutes.

What followed was a performance of the highest calibre, combining outstanding musicianship, polished showmanship and genuine warmth. For a man known as the king of romantic ballads, it was entirely fitting.

As the band struck the opening notes, the atmosphere lifted immediately. Then Engelbert walked onto the stage and the excitement in the theatre became obvious. From the opening song, Welcome to My World, his rich baritone voice was as recognisable as ever—strong, clear and remarkably powerful. The audience was instantly drawn into his world.

From beginning to end, this was a slick, professional production, from a man that belies his age. Backed by an exceptional band, every song was delivered with precision and enthusiasm. What was perhaps most surprising was just how well Engelbert’s voice has stood the test of time. It retains its warmth, clarity and impressive range, something few performers can claim at 90 years of age.

Just as impressive was his connection with the audience. His stories and gentle humour were perfectly timed, creating an evening that felt relaxed, personal and genuine. It was obvious he still loves performing, and the audience responded to that with genuine affection.

The hits kept coming… Release Me, A Man Without Love, Quando, Quando, Quando, After the Lovin’, Spanish Eyes, There Goes My Everything and, of course, Ten Guitars. The latter became one of the highlights of the evening as Engelbert sat back and let the audience sing much of the song. Throughout the concert, he encouraged crowd participation, making everyone feel part of the performance rather than simply spectators.

For someone who wasn’t a lifelong fan, one of the biggest surprises was just how many songs were instantly familiar. Hearing them performed live by the man who made them famous was an absolute pleasure.

One of the most moving moments came with a tribute to his late wife. The emotion was genuine and heartfelt, bringing a quiet stillness to the theatre and adding another dimension to an already memorable evening.

This was a show worthy of a Las Vegas stage, professional, entertaining and full of class. It was the perfect way to spend a cold Sunday evening, and anyone who missed it missed something special.

The concert closed with My Way and The Last Waltz, bringing to an end an evening that reminded everyone why Engelbert Humperdinck has remained one of the world’s great entertainers for more than six decades.

As the final applause faded, the only thing left was the scramble for Engelbert‘s red handkerchiefs thrown into the crowd, much to the delight of the lucky recipients.

Judging by the smiles on the faces leaving the theatre, the audience had fallen in love all over again with the man who has spent a lifetime singing about love.

 https://metropol.co.nz/englebert-humperdinck-the-man-of-love-going-strong-at-90/?fbclid=IwY2xjawSumkpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe1mZ8xNaXzc7JYbud3ovbFEA3KNe-fkJGb4mlnFnAGs5cTXgiyxUyGz8vUic_aem_6eS8A77JyOQkYdQR92FwaA

90-year-old British crooner Engelbert Humperdinck was just what the doctor ordered on a freezing Friday night in the Capital. Rachel Smith RNZ 27 June 2026

Like the icy frosts storming through the city in the midst of a cold snap, my many expectations of an Engelbert Humperdinck gig were happily shattered on Friday night.

The weather could have been enough to keep less hardy fans at home, surely, but arriving into the warmth of the Michael Fowler Centre, people sang from the bar to the foyer.

Humperdink lore was that the crowd usually launched into an acapella rendition of 'Ten Guitars' long before the band even started at any Aotearoa show, but it was 'Quando Quando Quando' that drifted from the line at the bar and audience members finding their seats.

Mildly scandalised, I found my way to the other reviewers to discuss the merits of another well-known Humperdinck recording, 'Lesbian Seagull'.

"7 sharp. There will be no opening act", was the slightly foreboding message that had preceded the tickets. Sure, time waits for no man. 

Humperdinck came on stage about a quarter past seven – I suspect he is not mortal so this makes sense.

A stage hand had gently placed what we all agreed was hot tea on the stage, signifying the King of Romance was approaching with intent. The question hanging in the air was palpable - can this king still croon?

The band began with a boom of the drums into an instrumental of 'Release Me', then Humperdinck arrived on stage looking several decades younger than his 90 years. 

The tune switches after two bars, and he sang some fitting words to the windswept audience. "Welcome to my world" took the words right out of my chattering mouth. 

Humperdinck's voice is astonishing, sublime. The experience of hearing it live was a strange mix of satisfying familiarity with added depth that sank you wholeheartedly into the moment...

Then "Hang on, hang on. Something's not right", and the singer unceremoniously stopped the band – he really is a tease. 

"I'll talk to you in a second", was his aside to the crowd, "This is my first day". Cheering heartily for everything, we continued. 

It didn't seem to be a bit. Humperdinck restarted, and we are once again welcomed to his world, and out of the cryogenic atmosphere.

While it would be fair to assume that, at age 90, a certain bluntness could be permitted 

of Humperdinck, he was a gentleman throughout. 

"Hello, I feel more relaxed now", he claimed after a brief sound issue.

Humperdinck explained the celebration tour, his themes of love, and apologised, well, for our existence - "I feel responsible for you up there".

Thankfully, to distract from thoughts of the soundtrack of our own conception, he then launched into his next tune.

Dressed in a black suit, red shirt and matching kerchief, Humperdinck still sports the sideburns and dark hair that he claims he's been dying since he was 25. His self-deprecation is charming and his sense of humour aided the few sound issues through the set. 

Turning the lyrics of 'A Man Without Love' into a physical comedy, Humperdinck leaned over dramatically and exclaimed at his bad luck before the tour - "You know what happened? Got pregnant" - while pushing out his stomach. 

The crowd occasionally shouted wholesome compliments. "You're still the King of Romance!" a man yelled rather aggressively at one point. Humperdinck took a sip out of his cup and said, "Mmm, tea."

While the British singer's voice slipped a bit behind the mix of the band on occasion, every note was there with that unique quality.

In some of the gentler songs with hints of vulnerability, Humperdinck truly shone. 

Though he can also still belt out the powerful hits, too, with his mic almost an arm's length from his face at times.

When 'Ten Guitars' brought people to their feet, Humperdinck encouraged the crowd to sing along without him. He sat gleefully on his stool, an air of "I told you so" about him, while the band looked bemused. 

Yes, we loved it. It would be great to write more about why, but there is a word limit. 

"I learnt to dance waiting for the bathroom", Humperdinck confessed as he introduced 'Quando Qaundo Qaundo', with a hip wiggle that brought more ravers up to the front.

The grandfather-of-six's version of 'Don't Let the Old Man In' and reflections on not letting age change him stuck with me long after the encore, after the handkerchiefs were handed out, and as I went not so quietly into a raging Wellington night.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/life/music/king-of-romance-engelbert-humperdinck-warms-wellington-hearts

Nikolai Beilharz asked the music veteran how he keeps going and recording new music.

Humperdinck said, "It's a question of loving what you do".

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/adelaide-drive/engelbert-humperdinck/106832688?fbclid=IwY2xjawSn6QBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeBKTkFyRvLnYjBER2QepDsMT_6M6lAwZ6Q9FGj1Mwrx522VF8CXe6uDplU-Y_aem_ZfSkLpXfrCsOnrUYy0gwUw

Humperdinck never expected to get the chance to get Lewis's take on the impression

By Angela Andaloro

  Published on June 19, 2026 11:14AM EDT People.com

Engelbert Humperdinck will never forget impressing Jerry Lewis.

The British singer, 90, recently appeared on Nostalgia Tonight with Joe Sibilia, where he recalled getting the chance to meet the late funnyman after a lifetime as a fan.

"I used to listen to him when I was a little guy in England. I would have my radio and tune in at night, and I would hear all these wonderful shows, you know, the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis Show, the Ed Sullivan Show, and all these things."

As he broke into entertainment himself, the 'Release Me' singer learned some of Lewis' material, even developing an impression of him.

"I learned how to do Jerry in the early days because I started my career doing little clubs in England, and not having any hit records, you had to do something else," he explained.

"So I started doing impressions of Jerry and Dean and Sammy Davis and people like that. And when I did finally meet Jerry, he told me, 'You know, Eng,' he said, 'You do the best me I've ever heard in my life.' And I thought that was quite fantastic."

In a 2024 interview, while performing in South Africa, Humperdinck revealed that he'd originally incorporated the entertainer's name into his own stage name.

Born Arnold George Dorsey, Humperdinck initially performed as Gerry Dorsey but found the name wasn't making a mark on the record industry.

"Gordon took a song I had written, ‘Stay,’ to Decca Records, initially under Gerry Dorsey, but it didn’t make an impression," he explained.

"So he changed the name on the record and took it back to another executive at Decca, and I was signed on the spot under Engelbert Humperdinck! No one calls me by my original name — even my family went along with the change to maintain the persona."

https://people.com/british-singer-engelbert-humperdinck-recalls-getting-a-fantastic-compliment-about-his-jerry-lewis-impression-from-the-star-himself-12001894

Humperdinck remembers his gratitude for a small but meaningful gesture from Martin

By Angela Andaloro Updated on June 18, 2026 08:15PM EDT People.com

Engelbert Humperdinck is grateful for the ways Dean Martin looked out for him.

The "Release Me" singer, 90, appeared on the June 15 episode of Nostalgia Tonight with Joe Sibilia, where he looked back on the entertainers who influenced him. Martin, who died in 1995 at age 78, befriended Humperdinck as his career was taking off.

"Dean, we became good friends, actually, because I played a hotel in Las Vegas called the Riviera, and Dean was part-owner of that hotel," the British singer explained.

"He put his name on the marquee — 'Dean Martin Presents Engelbert Humperdinck' — and what a feather in my cap that was, having his name associated with mine," he shared, with evident pride.

Humperdinck said the relationship wasn't all business, with the two finding much in common. "We became friends, and we dined together many, many a night. And he was a wonderful man," he shared.

Similarly, Humperdinck hit it off with Lewis, telling host Joe Sibilia, "When I did finally meet Jerry, he told me, 'You know, Eng,' he said, 'You do the best me I've ever heard in my life.' And I thought that was quite fantastic."

In a 2016 interview, Humperdinck recalled one of the best lessons he learned from Martin.

"He was a tremendous actor and stage performer. Dean would never rehearse. He would show up and use cue cards, but he was always perfect. No one else could do that, the way Dean did it," he said, adding that the entertainer "was extremely nice to me."

Martin taught Humperdinck how important it is to "act out a song."

"I love performing and I consider myself an actor on stage. I don't just sing lyrics. I use stage techniques and movements with the song."

https://people.com/engelbert-humperdinck-remembers-a-special-show-of-kindness-from-dean-martin-12001934

June 12, 2026 BY Pancho Symes Ballina Times

ENGELBERT Humperdinck says the hairs on the back of his neck “still stand up” when he hears the opening bars of Release Me.

Nearly 60 years after the song famously kept The Beatles from reaching No.1 on the UK singles chart, and ahead of his upcoming Gold Coast performance, the veteran entertainer has reflected on a career that has stretched across generations, shifting music industries and audiences around the world.

Globally recognised as the “King of Romance”, Humperdinck said the image that defined much of his career was helped shape early on by manager Gordon Mills, who also managed Tom Jones.

“Tom Jones did the Rock and Roll and I did the romance,” Humperdinck said.

“That’s how it was put out.”

“So I did all the romantic songs and, fortunately for me, it worked.”

He also reflected on the unusual stage name that helped define his career, saying it was chosen for him by Mills and allowed him to stand out in the industry.

“When you have an unusual name, people take notice of it,” he said.

“I took a name that was kind of long and not very pretty sounding and turned it into a romantic image, which I’m very proud of.”

The singer also recalled the intensity of fan devotion during the height of his fame, when performances were often met with screaming audiences.

“That happened, not to the extent of what The Beatles had to go through… but they did a lot of screaming and it was quite exciting,” he said.

“Don’t forget my career is 59 years old and I think I’ve learned a lot, and my audiences change in their attitude and the way they approach your performance.”

“And it’s just different in today’s world, they appreciate the music a lot more now I think, so they listen more, rather than screaming.”

Humperdinck said his life changed dramatically after the release of Release Me in 1967, which became a worldwide phenomenon and famously denied The Beatles a 12th UK number one single.

“I couldn’t believe it myself,” he said.

“It was like a non-entity from nowhere, to be up against the almighty Beatles, who I was a big fan of or still am…”

While the song had been recorded by several artists prior to his version, Humperdinck’s 1967 rendition became a global hit, with the singer crediting the song’s arrangement as a key factor in its success.

He credited arranger Charles Blackwell with helping shape the final sound.

“He did a miraculous job of making that song so recognizable,” Humperdinck said.

“When I hear that introduction, the hairs on the back of my neck still stand up.”

Despite a career spanning more than six decades, Humperdinck said his passion for performing has not faded.

“One thing is for sure, I’m not tired of it,” he said.

“I love my job, I love what I’m doing. I’m still recording.”

He said staying connected with fans has helped sustain his career in the modern era.

“My following is absolutely magnificent,” he said.

“It’s like a cult following.”

“Everywhere I go, at all my shows, I’m greeted in a very wonderful way.”

Humperdinck also said social media has become an important tool for maintaining that connection, including his regular “Tuesday Museday” updates.

“I inform my fans around the world what I’m doing that particular week,” he said.

“I read their comments and I pay attention to them because I think it’s important.”

Still, he admits he misses aspects of the old music industry.

“I love the old-fashioned way with vinyl,” he said.

“You could call up the record company and say, “how many did you sell today?”

“It’s something that doesn’t happen in today’s market.”

“You have to find out about downloads and this and that… it’s not the same.”

“That excitement has gone out of recording, really.”

Humperdinck will bring his enduring catalogue of romance to The Star Gold Coast in Broadbeach on July 6 as part of The Celebration Tour 2026.

The show starts at 7pm, with tickets available at Ticketek.

https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/ballinatimes/living/the-king-of-romance-engelbert-humperdinck-looks/

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/28268129/episode/336583193/?keyid=AutomatedPodcasts&ihrnetwork=true&embed=true