Header Image
Icon: Facebook Icon: Youtube Icon: IMDB

NEWS

Engelbert Humperdinck says karaoke kept his music alive ahead of 89th birthday

May 01, 2025

By Casey Cooper-Fiske, PA Entertainment Reporter PA Media

01/05/2025

Singer Engelbert Humperdinck has credited karaoke for keeping his music alive “all these years” ahead of his 89th birthday.

The Leicester-raised singer told the PA news agency he would be spending his birthday with “family and a few friends” and revealed he may even take part in a spot of karaoke himself.

Humperdinck, who will celebrate his birthday on Friday, will perform more than 60 concerts across the world this year, after realising he needed to carry on singing following his The Last Waltz farewell tour last year.

Speaking about how his music has endured, the Release Me singer told PA: “Some of my songs are as fresh today as they were when I recorded them over 50 years ago, and of course, I’m very big with karaoke.

“Most of my songs are on karaoke because people love to sing them, and of course, that’s what kept it alive all these many years, and I’m very happy about that.”

Speaking about his own karaoke choices, he added: “I try to sing somebody else’s songs.

“I remember once I was in Hong Kong, and we went to have a meal at a Japanese restaurant, and they had karaoke there, and they were bringing it around to all the tables.

“So I decided to sing couple of my songs, that was the first time for a long time I’ve done that, and people were coming in from the other room to hear me sing, which was fantastic.”

He said a long period of time spent at home after his last tour had convinced him to return to performing.

Humperdinck said: “I’ve spent January, February, March, and part of April at home, and I was climbing the wall.

“So I got on the phone with my manager, and I said, ‘this is not going to work out’, I said, ‘I’ve got to get back to work’, I said, ‘I’m climbing the wall’.

“So anyway, I put an end to The Last Waltz, and I’m back on my feet, ready to go and tour the world for as long as God keeps my voice in shape.”

The singer, who was born in India, said that when he started out, he did not think his career was “going to last”.

He said: “I’ve been in the business now 58 years successfully, and things are still looking up on me, because I’ve just finished an album with Cleopatra Records, and it’s a different kind of music that I’ve recorded this time, and it’s unusual for me to do this sort of thing at this time in my life.

“But it all of a sudden it came to me and I decided to do it, and it’s all songs from the big bands of the 80s, people like Aerosmith and Kiss, and The Cars, and Journey and people like that.

“I’ve taken good songs off their albums and I’ve recorded it my way.”

Humperdinck, whose real name is Arnold Dorsey, said he had seen younger fans coming to his recent concerts after his 1968 song A Man Without Love featured in an episode of BBC drama Call The Midwife.

He explained: “It’s an unbelievable, because I recorded the song 50 years ago, and they used it in the show right at the beginning and right at the end, and they played the whole song all the way through.

“And the young people watched this program, and I was getting a lot of new faces in the audiences, and these young people wanted to know what an Engelbert Humperdinck was all about.

“And of course, I welcomed them into the Humperdinck trail, and I’ve got a brand new audience of young people now because of that, that particular song in that particular show.”

Since beginning his career in the 1950s, Humperdinck has had eight UK top 10 singles and two UK number one albums, he is best known for songs such as Release Me, The Last Waltz and There Goes My Everything.

https://pa.media/blogs/pa-uplifting/engelbert-humperdinck-says-karaoke-kept-his-music-alive-ahead-of-89th-birthday/

 

SIGN UP TO RECEIVE YOUR E NEWSLETTER

Discography

All About LoveAll About Love
You’re The First, The Last, My EverythingYou’re The First, The Last, My Everything
RegardsRegards
SentimentsSentiments
ReflectionsReflections
Warmest Christmas WishesWarmest Christmas Wishes
The Man I Want to Be The Man I Want to Be
The Complete Decca Studio AlbumsThe Complete Decca Studio Albums
Engelbert Humperdinck - 50Engelbert Humperdinck - 50
DuetsDuets
Christmas CDChristmas CD
Runaway CountryRunaway Country
Engelbert CallingEngelbert Calling
ReleasedReleased
We Made It Happen/SweetheartWe Made It Happen/Sweetheart
My Love/King of HeartsMy Love/King of Hearts
Legacy of Love Disc 2Legacy of Love Disc 2
Legacy of Love Disc 1Legacy of Love Disc 1
The Winding Road The Winding Road
An Introduction to Engelbert HumperdinckAn Introduction to Engelbert Humperdinck
Totally Amazing Totally Amazing
Best of Engelbert Humperdinck: The Millenium CollectionBest of Engelbert Humperdinck: The Millenium Collection
GoldGold
Let There Be Love Let There Be Love
Love Songs and BalladsLove Songs and Ballads
His Greatest Love Songs His Greatest Love Songs
Release MeRelease Me
Always Hear the Harmony: The Gospel Sessions Always Hear the Harmony: The Gospel Sessions
Engelbert Humperdinck Live Engelbert Humperdinck Live
Definition of Love Definition of Love
You Belong to My Heart You Belong to My Heart
Love is the Reason [DM]Love is the Reason [DM]
Red Sails in the Sunset Red Sails in the Sunset
I Want to Wake Up With You I Want to Wake Up With You
It’s All in the Game It’s All in the Game
Original Gold Vol. 2Original Gold Vol. 2
Original Gold Vol. 1Original Gold Vol. 1
Evening with Engelbert Humperdinck & the Royal Philharmonic OrchestraEvening with Engelbert Humperdinck & the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
An Evening with Engelbert Humperdinck An Evening with Engelbert Humperdinck
#1 Love Songs of All Time#1 Love Songs of All Time
At His Very BestAt His Very Best
The Engelbert Humperdinck Collection The Engelbert Humperdinck Collection
Live at the Royal Albert HallLive at the Royal Albert Hall
In the Still of the Night: 20 Beautiful Love SongsIn the Still of the Night: 20 Beautiful Love Songs
Dance Album [Bonus Track]Dance Album [Bonus Track]
The Best of Engelbert Humperdinck Live The Best of Engelbert Humperdinck Live
Merry Christmas with Engelbert HumperdinckMerry Christmas with Engelbert Humperdinck
Evening with Engelbert Humperdinck 2 [Live] Evening with Engelbert Humperdinck 2 [Live]
Evening with Engelbert Humperdinck 1 [Live]Evening with Engelbert Humperdinck 1 [Live]
The Dance AlbumThe Dance Album
16 Most Requested Songs16 Most Requested Songs
From the HeartFrom the Heart
FeelingsFeelings
Live in JapanLive in Japan
After DarkAfter Dark
You are So BeautifulYou are So Beautiful
Sings BalladsSings Ballads
The Magic of ChristmasThe Magic of Christmas
Magic NightMagic Night
Engelbert Humperdinck Sings the ClassicsEngelbert Humperdinck Sings the Classics
Love UnchainedLove Unchained
Christmas EveChristmas Eve
Engelbert I Love YouEngelbert I Love You
Step into My LifeStep into My Life
An Evening with Engelbert HumperdinckAn Evening with Engelbert Humperdinck
Yours: Quiereme MuchoYours: Quiereme Mucho
YoursYours
Hello Out ThereHello Out There
Engelbert Heart of GoldEngelbert Heart of Gold
Step into My LifeStep into My Life
Love is the ReasonLove is the Reason
Live in Concert/All of MeLive in Concert/All of Me
Remember I Love YouRemember I Love You
Getting SentimentalGetting Sentimental
You and Your LoverYou and Your Lover
Misty BlueMisty Blue
Don't You Love Me Anymore?Don't You Love Me Anymore?
A Merry Christmas with Engelbert HumperdinckA Merry Christmas with Engelbert Humperdinck
Love’s Only LoveLove’s Only Love
Engelbert Sings the HitsEngelbert Sings the Hits
This Moment in TimeThis Moment in Time
Love LettersLove Letters
The Last of the RomanticsThe Last of the Romantics
A Time For UsA Time For Us
Engelbert Sings For YouEngelbert Sings For You
Christmas TymeChristmas Tyme
MiraclesMiracles
After the Lovin’After the Lovin’
The World of Engelbert HumperdinckThe World of Engelbert Humperdinck
Engelbert Humperdinck His Greatest HitsEngelbert Humperdinck His Greatest Hits
My LoveMy Love
Engelbert King of HeartsEngelbert King of Hearts
In TimeIn Time
Live at the Riviera Las VegasLive at the Riviera Las Vegas
Another Time, Another PlaceAnother Time, Another Place
SweetheartSweetheart
We Made It HappenWe Made It Happen
Engelbert HumperdinckEngelbert Humperdinck
EngelbertEngelbert
A Man Without LoveA Man Without Love
Last WaltzLast Waltz
Release MeRelease Me