Engelbert Humperdinck | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Humperdinck performing in Las Vegas, 2009 | |
| Born | Arnold George Dorsey (1936-05-02)2 May 1936 (age 89) |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4 |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | Leicester, England |
| Genres | |
| Instrument |
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| Years active | 1956–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | engelbert |
Musical artist | |
Arnold George Dorsey (born 2 May 1936), known professionally asEngelbert Humperdinck, is a British pop singer described byAllMusic as "one of the finest middle-of-the-road balladeers around".[1] He achieved international prominence in 1967 with his recording of "Release Me".
Humperdinck started as a performer in the late 1950s under the name "Gerry Dorsey", but found success after 1965 when he partnered with managerGordon Mills, who advised him to adopt the name of German composerEngelbert Humperdinck as a stage name. His recordings of the ballads "Release Me" and "The Last Waltz" topped theUK Singles Chart in 1967, selling more than a million copies each.[2] Humperdinck scored further major hits in rapid succession, including "There Goes My Everything" (1967), "Am I That Easy to Forget" (1968), and "A Man Without Love" (1968). He attained a large following, with some of his most devoted fans calling themselves "Humperdinckers". Two of his singles were amongthe best-selling of the 1960s in the UK.
During the 1970s, Humperdinck had significant American chart successes with "After the Lovin'" (1976) and "This Moment in Time" (1979). He garnered a reputation as a concert performer and received renewed attention during the 1990slounge revival with his recordings of "Lesbian Seagull" for the soundtrack ofBeavis and Butt-Head Do America (1996) and a dance album (1998). The new millennium brought a range of musical projects, including theGrammy-nominated gospel albumAlways Hear the Harmony: The Gospel Sessions (2003) and the double album of duetsEngelbert Calling (2014). Humperdinck represented the UK at theEurovision Song Contest 2012 inBaku with the song "Love Will Set You Free", placing 25th out of 26. Humperdinck continues to record and tour, having sold more than 140 million records worldwide.[3]
Dorsey was born inMadras, British India (nowChennai, India) in 1936,[4] one of 10 children born toBritish ArmyNCO Mervyn Dorsey, who was of Welsh descent, and his wife Olive who, according to the singer, was of German descent.[5][6] Various sources also say that he hasAnglo-Indian heritage.[7][8][9] His family moved toLeicester, England, when he was ten years old. He later showed an interest in music and began learning the saxophone. By the early 1950s, he was playing saxophone in nightclubs, but he is believed not to have begun singing until he was in his late teens. His impression ofJerry Lewis prompted friends to begin calling him "Gerry Dorsey", a name that he worked under for almost a decade.[10]
Dorsey's attempt to get his music career off the ground was interrupted byconscription into the British ArmyRoyal Corps of Signals during the mid-1950s. After his discharge, he got his first chance to record in 1959 withDecca Records. He had been spotted when he won a talent contest in theIsle of Man the previous summer. Dorsey's first single "Crazy Bells" (b/w "Mister Music Man")[11] was not a hit despite him plugging the songs on two appearances on theITV teenage music showOh Boy! in February[12] and March 1959.[13] He switched toParlophone later that year but his first record for them, "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" (b/w "Every Day Is a Wonderful Day")[14] was not successful either. Dorsey would return to record for Decca again, but almost a decade later and with very different results. Also in 1959 he became part of a touring show called "The Big Beat Show" with other pop singers of the time includingBilly Fury,Vince Eager, andTerry Dene.[15] Further television appearances followed in 1959 on the ITV show "The Song Parade".[16] A tour as a support toAdam Faith followed[17] and he continued working the nightclubs. In June 1961, however, he was stricken withtuberculosis and spent nine months in hospital.[18] He eventually regained his health and returned to show business in 1962 but had to start virtually all over again. Dorsey went back on the variety stage and to nightclub work, but with little success.[19]
In 1965, Dorsey teamed up withGordon Mills, his former roommate while inBayswater, London, who had become a music impresario and the manager ofTom Jones.[10] Mills, aware that the singer had been struggling for several years to become successful in the music industry, suggested a name-change to the more arrestingEngelbert Humperdinck, borrowed from the19th-century German composer of operas such asHansel and Gretel.[1] The reason was simply the unusual sound of the name in English.Humperdinck enjoyed his first real success during July 1966 inBelgium, where he and four others represented Britain in the annualKnokke song contest, winning that year's prize.[20][21] Three months later, in October 1966, he was on stage inMechelen. He made a mark on the Belgian charts with "Dommage, Dommage", and an early music video was filmed with him in the harbour ofZeebrugge.[22]
In the mid-'60s, Humperdinck visited German songwriterBert Kaempfert at his house in Spain and was offered arrangements of three songs: "Spanish Eyes", "Strangers in the Night", and "Wonderland by Night". He returned to Britain where he recorded all three songs. He recognised the potential of "Strangers in the Night" and asked manager Gordon Mills whether it could be released as a single, but his request was refused, since the song had already been requested byFrank Sinatra.[23] "Spanish Eyes" and "Wonderland by Night" would be included on the singer's 1968 LPA Man Without Love.[24]
In early 1967, the changes paid off when Humperdinck's version of "Release Me" topped the charts in the United Kingdom and hit No. 4 on the USBillboard 100. Arranged byCharles Blackwell in an "orchestral country music" style, withBig Jim Sullivan andJimmy Page as session musicians and a full chorus joining Humperdinck on the third refrain, the record keptthe Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever"/"Penny Lane" from the top slot in the United Kingdom (for the first time since 1963).[25] The B-side of "Release Me", "Ten Guitars", continues to be enormously popular in New Zealand.[26] "Release Me" spent 56 weeks in the Top 50 in a continuous chart run, and was believed to have sold 85,000 copies a day at the height of its popularity.[27] The song has remained at the core of Humperdinck's repertoire ever since.Humperdinck's easygoing style and good looks soon earned him a large following, particularly among women. His hardcore female fans called themselves "Humperdinckers".[28] "Release Me" was succeeded by two more hit ballads: "There Goes My Everything" and "The Last Waltz", earning him a reputation as acrooner, a description which he disputed. As Humperdinck toldHollywood Reporter writer Rick Sherwood:
"[I]f you are not a crooner it's something you don't want to be called. No crooner has the range I have. I can hit notes a bank could not cash. What I am is a contemporary singer, a stylised performer."[29]
In 1968, with a Variety Club of Great Britain award forShow Business Personality of 1967,[30] Humperdinck reached No. 2 on theUK Singles Chart with "A Man Without Love". His album of the same name climbed to No. 3 on theUK Albums Chart.[31] Another single, "Les Bicyclettes de Belsize",[32][33] was a top 10 hit in the United Kingdom and reached the top 40 in the United States. By the end of the decade, Humperdinck's expanding roster of songs also included "Am I That Easy to Forget", "The Way It Used to Be", "I'm a Better Man (For Having Loved You)" (written byBurt Bacharach andHal David) and "Winter World of Love". He supplemented these big-selling singles with a number of equally successful albums. These albums –Release Me,The Last Waltz,A Man Without Love, andEngelbert Humperdinck—formed the bedrock of his success. For six months in 1969–70, Humperdinck fronted his own television seriesThe Engelbert Humperdinck Show forATV in the United Kingdom, andABC in the US. In this musical variety format, he was joined by, among others,Paul Anka,Shirley Bassey,Tony Bennett,Jack Benny,Milton Berle,Ray Charles,Four Tops,Lena Horne,Liberace,Lulu,Carmen McRae,Dusty Springfield,Jack Jones,Tom Jones andDionne Warwick.
By the start of the 1970s, Humperdinck had settled into a busy schedule of recordings, and a number of signature songs emerged from this period, often written by noted musicians and songwriters; among them, "We Made It Happen" (written byPaul Anka),[34] "Sweetheart" (written byBarry Gibb andMaurice Gibb),[35] "Another Time, Another Place", and "Too Beautiful to Last" (theme from the filmNicholas and Alexandra). In 1972, he starred in another television series, forBBC1. TitledEngelbert withThe Young Generation, the show ran for thirteen weeks, and featured the dance troupe, regular gueststhe Goodies andMarlene Charell, and international stars.[36] Also in 1972, he was among the guests inDavid Winters' musical television specialThe Special London Bridge Special, starringTom Jones, andJennifer O'Neill.[37]
By the middle of the decade, Humperdinck concentrated on selling albums and on live performances, with his style of balladry less popular on the singles charts. He developed lavish stage productions, making him a natural forLas Vegas and similar venues. He performed regularly at theRiviera Hotel in Las Vegas through the early and middle years of the decade, recording a live album at the venue withthe Three Degrees as backing singers.[38]
In 1976, Humperdinck's commercial credentials were buoyed by "After the Lovin'", a ballad produced byJoel Diamond andCharles Calello, and released byCBS subsidiary Epic. The song was a top 10 hit in the US[39] went Gold, and won the "most played juke box record of the year" award. The album of the same name reached the top 20 on the US charts,[39] was nominated for aGrammy Award,[40] and was a Double Platinum hit for the singer.[41] Three of the album tracks were produced byBobby Eli and recorded at theSigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia. As critics point out, the singer's unexpected foray into the "Philadelphia Sound" was successful, adding to the overall strength of the work.[42] Rounding off the year, Humperdinck made his first appearance onThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson with a live performance of the hit single.[43]Joel Diamond went on to produce a series of albums recorded by Humperdinck for Epic, includingThis Moment in Time from 1979 (the title song topped the US adult contemporary charts)[44] and two Christmas albums. These albums also found the singer working with important musical arrangers likeCharles Calello[45][46] andJimmie Haskell.[47][48] In 1979, following his late-decade chart successes stateside, Humperdinck took his stage show toBroadway with appearances at theMinskoff Theatre.
In the 1980s, Humperdinck consolidated his discography, recording regularly and performing as many as 200 concerts a year while continuing with headlining appearances in Las Vegas at the Hilton Hotel (Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino).[49] In the early and mid-1980s, he made a number of special appearances as an actor on popular television dramas of the time, includingThe Love Boat,Hotel andFantasy Island.
Following his stint as a recording artist with Epic, Humperdinck released what William Ruhlmann has called an "ambitious double album" titledA Lovely Way to Spend An Evening (1985). Ruhlmann commends Humperdinck for recording this album of standards from theAmerican Songbook; he notes that the work "was a long time coming", while acknowledging that "the album deserved a broader distribution than it received."[50] The album was released in the United Kingdom asGetting Sentimental and reached the UK Top-40 album charts in the summer of 1985.[51]
In the following years, Humperdinck continued with studio recordings, including a duet withGloria Gaynor for his albumRemember, I Love You (1987).[52] In the latter half of the 1980s, with new material like the song "Portofino" (1985),[53] Humperdinck also focused on recordings influenced by European popular music of the time, particularly German popular music. Albums of this period includeTräumen Mit Engelbert (1986)[54] andStep into My Life (1989).[55] Released asIch Denk An Dich in Germany,Step into My Life included songs composed byDieter Bohlen andBarry Mason, while the title song was co-written by Humperdinck himself.[56] It spawned several singles, and a cover of Bohlen's hit song, "You're My Heart, You're My Soul".[57]Remember, I Love You andTräumen mit Engelbert were certified Platinum sellers andIch Denk An Dich was a certified Gold seller in Germany.[58]
Humperdinck was awarded a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame in 1989 and won aGolden Globe Award as entertainer of the year, while also beginning major involvement in charitable causes such as the Leukemia Research Fund, theAmerican Red Cross, theAmerican Lung Association, and several AIDS relief organisations. He wrote a song for one charity-group titled "Reach Out" (released on his 1992 studio albumHello Out There).[59]
Musical appraisals of Humperdinck's career in the 1990s point to him earning "a new hip cachet" during theLounge Revival, and note the success of new artistic ventures such as his recording of "Lesbian Seagull" for the soundtrack of the filmBeavis and Butt-head Do America (1996), and his dance album from 1998.[52] 1995'sLove Unchained, produced byBebu Silvetti, peaked in the UK Top-20 album charts, marking a return to form in his home country.[60] He retained a public profile during these years, making numerous appearances on radio and television, including theLate Show with David Letterman andThe Howard Stern Show, and at events such as the1996 Daytona 500, where he performed "The Star-Spangled Banner".[61]
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Humperdinck's recording career continued into the new millennium, with a range of musical collaborations. In 2000, he hit the top five of the British album charts withEngelbert at His Very Best, and returned to the top five four years later, after he appeared in aJohn Smith's TV-advertisement. In the spring of 2003, Humperdinck collaborated with American artist-producerArt Greenhaw to record the roots gospel albumAlways Hear the Harmony: The Gospel Sessions; joining Humperdinck on the album were theLight Crust Doughboys,the Jordanaires andthe Blackwood Brothers.[62] The critically acclaimed album was nominated for a Grammy for "Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album of the Year", while Humperdinck was photographed with generations of fans at the 2004 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. He was back in the studio soon after, releasingLet There Be Love in 2005. Music critics have remarked on the historical span of material in the album, from songs first made popular in the 1920s to more recent ones from the 1990s, and point especially to Humperdinck's version ofNick Lowe's "You Inspire Me" as a noteworthy cut.[63] In 2007, Humperdinck releasedThe Winding Road. In a conversation withLarry King, Humperdinck discussed the genesis of the album; he pointed out thatThe Winding Road featured songs exclusively by British composers, as a "tribute to [his] home country", released as it was to mark 40 years since his first international hit recording.[64]
During the recording of theGorillaz albumPlastic Beach, Humperdinck was asked byDamon Albarn to contribute to the album as a guest artist. Humperdinck's management at the time, however, declined the offer without Humperdinck's knowledge. Describing the event, Humperdinck stated that the missed opportunity was, "the most grievous sin ever committed", and that he would have gladly collaborated with Gorillaz. He added that he had since parted ways with his then-management, handing over duties to his son, Scott Dorsey. At the end of the interview, Humperdinck observed: "I'd really like to rekindle that suggestion again and bring it back. Hopefully they will ask me again. My son Scott will definitely say yes".[65][66]
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In March 2012, theBBC announced that Humperdinck would represent theUnited Kingdom in the final of theEurovision Song Contest 2012, to be staged inBaku, Azerbaijan, on 26 May. The song, "Love Will Set You Free" was unveiled on 19 March 2012, produced by music producerMartin Terefe and co-written bySacha Skarbek. The song was recorded in London, Los Angeles andNashville, Tennessee, and was mixed by Thomas Juth in London.[67] When Humperdinck's participation was announced, he was set to become the oldest singer to ever participate in the contest at the age of 76.[68] He was however overtaken in the same year when theBuranovskiye Babushki performed later on that night. During the final allocation draw, the United Kingdom was drawn to perform first.[69] Humperdinck eventually finished in 25th place out of 26, coming in second to last in the voting, with 12 points.[68][70]
With a rapid series of recordings, Humperdinck showed no signs of slowing the pace of his work in the 2010s. A career-first double-CD of duets,Engelbert Calling, was released in the United Kingdom in March 2014 by Conehead Records, charting in the UK top 40.[71] The album found the singer in the studio with musicians likeCharles Aznavour,Elton John,Il Divo,[72][73]Johnny Mathis,Lulu,Willie Nelson,Olivia Newton-John,Cliff Richard,Smokey Robinson,Kenny Rogers,Neil Sedaka,Ron Sexsmith,Gene Simmons andDionne Warwick.[74]Engelbert Calling was released in North America by OK! Good Records on 30 September 2014, with Humperdinck making a number of promotional appearances on radio and television, including an extended conversation with Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani onHuffPost Live.[75] In the UK, Humperdinck showcased songs from the album in shows likeWeekend Wogan for which he performed acoustic versions of "Make You Feel My Love" and "The Hungry Years".[76] A special edition vinyl EP with four tracks from the album was released in May 2015. According to OK! Good Records, the EP was Humperdinck's first vinyl release after a gap of twenty-five years, "a limited-edition 7" vinyl record with a first pressing of 1,000 copies on transparent cloudy clear vinyl".[77]
2017 was the 50th anniversary of Humperdinck's first international chart success, and two major celebratory disc sets were produced in the early summer. The first,Engelbert Humperdinck 50, was a two-disc album bringing together the singer's charting singles for Decca, other songs from different points in his career, two new studio recordings, and a new remix of "Release Me".[78] The second was an extended box set of Humperdinck's first eleven albums, reissued byDecca Records, complete with original album artwork and new liner notes.[79]Engelbert Humperdinck 50 was released in the United Kingdom in May 2017, and entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 5, indicating the singer's enduring popularity in his home country.[80] The album was released in North America in June 2017.
The Man I Want to Be was released in late 2017.[81] While composed largely of newly written material, the album included two notable covers: "Photograph" (Ed Sheeran), and "Just the Way You Are" (Bruno Mars). In 2018, the singer came out with a newly recorded Christmas album,Warmest Christmas Wishes.[82] In May 2019, Humperdinck premiered a new song, "You", a self-described ode to motherhood written for him by British songwritersJon Allen and Jake Fields. As a birthday gift to his wife, Patricia, Humperdinck appeared in a music video of "You", filmed on location at the Houdini Estate.[83] The singer's record label announced the late-2019 release of an EP of songs titledReflections.[84] Humperdinck followed this up with further EPs in 2020 (Sentiments) and 2021 (Regards). A new studio album,All About Love, was released in 2023.[85]
In early 2022, Humperdinck's song "A Man Without Love" was featured in the Marvel Studios seriesMoon Knight.[86] Later, he performed a cover of the popular song "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" for the filmBullet Train.[87]
Well into his sixth decade as an entertainer, Humperdinck continues with international concert dates. While touring North America on an annual basis, he has performed in a range of venues and events in Europe, Australia and the Far East. In 2009, Humperdinck performed atCarols in the Domain, a popular Christmas event held in Sydney. He returned to Australia for a number of concerts in November the following year, adding a new studio album,Released, to his discography.[88] Humperdinck also regularly schedules performances in the United Kingdom. In May 2015, he appeared at theBridgewater Hall, Manchester, theSymphony Hall, Birmingham and theRoyal Albert Hall[89] and at London'sTheatre Royal, Drury Lane in November 2017. In 2019, Humperdinck performed in Singapore, Manila and Tokyo. In late 2021 and into 2022, the singer appeared in cities in the UK and Europe, including a return to theLondon Palladium.[90][91] In December 2023, Humperdinck announced a "grand farewell tour" of Australia in May 2024, including a concert at theSydney Opera House.[92]
Lifelong Catholics Humperdinck and Patricia Healey wed in 1964; the two first met at the Palais de Danse, a nightclub inLeicester.[93] They had four children, and the family lived between homes in the UK and the US.[94][95]
Humperdinck's wife once said that she could paper their bedroom with all of the paternity lawsuits filed against her husband.[95][96][97] He was successfully sued for paternity by two women during the 1970s and 1980s.[95][96] In 1988, Humperdinck filed a libel suit against theNational Enquirer. The origin of the libelous statements was said to be Kathy Jetter, the mother of one of Humperdinck's illegitimate children, and were made in an affidavit filed by Jetter in New York Family Court in an effort to increase child support payments from Humperdinck. Jetter lost the action.[98] Jetter had successfully brought a paternity suit against Humperdinck following the birth of her daughter Jennifer in 1977.[99]
In 2017, the singer revealed that Patricia had been suffering fromAlzheimer's disease for 10 years.[100][101][102] She died in Los Angeles on 5 February 2021. Humperdinck later described how the family had prayed with her and blessed her withwater from Lourdes before she "slipped softly away".[103][104]
Humperdinck retains ties withLeicestershire, where he spent much of his youth, and is a fan ofLeicester City F.C.[105] In August 2005, he auctioned one of hisHarley-Davidson motorbikes oneBay to raise money for the County Air Ambulance in Leicestershire. In 2006, theUniversity of Leicester awarded Humperdinck anHonorary Doctorate of Music.[106] On 25 February 2009,Leicester City Council announced that Humperdinck would be given the Honorary Freedom of Leicester alongside authorSue Townsend and former professional footballerAlan Birchenall.[107] In 2010, Humperdinck was one of the first nine people to be honoured with a plaque on the Leicester Walk of Fame.[108]
Humperdinck has also been active in real-estate investments in Mexico and the US. In the latter half of the 1970s, the singer bought thePink Palace in Los Angeles, previously the home ofJayne Mansfield; in 2002, he sold it to developers.[109] During the 1980s, Humperdinck bought a hotel property inLa Paz, Mexico, and renamed itLa Posada de Engelbert.[110] The hotel was demolished in 2012, and replaced by the Posada Hotel Beach Club.[111]
Humperdinck was appointedMember of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the2021 Birthday Honours for services to music.[112]
| Preceded by | UK in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 | Succeeded by |
