Music legend Engelbert Humperdinck has been in the studio in Los Angeles working on a duet with Motown legend Smokey Robinson. The collaboration is the next piece in the puzzle we know will eventually be a duets album from Engelbert.

Engelbert Humperdinck and Smokey Robinson

The next Engelbert Humperdinck album will feature an all-star cast. “The CD is shaping up extremely well and I am delighted to be working with some of the greats of this industry,” Engelbert told Noise11 recently of his much anticipated recording.

Those “greats” Engelbert talks about are Sir Elton John, Willie Nelson, Seal, Charles Aznavour and Lulu.

Engelbert can also be heard on ‘Space Farm’, the new album for Australian band The Break, featuring members of Midnight Oil, Violent Femmes and Hunters & Collectors.

Noise11 also hears a whisper that Engelbert Humperdinck will be touring Australia and New Zealand mid this year. Dates are currently being worked on for the tour.

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Italian singer Emilio Pericoli, the original singer of ‘Quando Quando Quando’, has died at the age of 85.

Emilio Pericoli

Pericoli had a top ten hit in the U.S. in 1962 with ‘Al Di La’.

Much of Pericoli’s success both in Italy and in the rest of the world can be attributed to the Sanremo Music Festival in Sanremo, Italy. His international hit Al Di La was a cover version of the 1961 festival winner as sung by Betty Curtis and Luciano Tajoli. It went to number 6 on the U.S. Hot 100 and 3 on the Adult Contemporary chart along with number 30 in the U.K.

The next year, he entered the festival with Tony Renis with the song Quando Quando Quando. While they didn’t win, his recording went on to become one of his best known. The song would go on to include a songwriting credit for Pat Boone for the English version which was later recorded by Englebert Humperdinck and Michael Buble.

In 1963, he and Renis entered again, finally winning the festival with Uno Per Tutte. He later went on to become a television actor.

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Engelbert Humperdinck will return to Australia for shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Newcastle in July.

Engelbert Humperdinck - image by Ros O'Gorman

The international music legend will be performing his ‘Greatest Hits and More’ show as fans wait for his next album of duets featuring Elton John, Willie Nelson and Smokey Robinson.

More recently, Engelbert can be heard on the new album for The Break featuring members of Midnight Oil, Hunters & Collectors and Hunters & Collectors reworking his 1968 song ‘Ten Guitars’.

Engelbert Humperdinck has 63 Gold records and 24 Platinum albums to his name. He has been nominated four times for the Grammy Awards and has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

Tickets for Engelbert Humperdinck in Australia go on sale on April 22 at 9am.

Dates are:

July 3, Newcastle, Civic Theatre
July 5, Brisbane, QPAC
July 8, Melbourne, Hamer Hall
July 10, Sydney, The Star Event Centre
July 13, Perth, Crown Theatre

Few songwriters have had the success that Burt Bacharach has had over the last 50 years. Along with songwriting partner Hal David, their music has scaled the pop, rock, R&B and country charts with music that has become a major part of the rock era songbook.

Burt Bacharach Anyone Who Had A Heart

Many of those hits are collected on the new album The Art of the Songwriter: Anyone Who Had a Heart – The Best of Burt Bacharach, a 2-CD set being released by UMe on May 28.

While we’re yet to get the definitive box set of Bacharach’s hits as done by all of the artists that made them famous, this album does gather quite a few of the biggest. Unfortunately, the full cannon of Dionne Warwick’s indelible versions of his songs are not included with only her Anyone Who Had a Heart making the cut. Instead, we get Aretha Franklin’s I Say a Little Prayer (no real complaint on that one), Sybil’s Don’t Make Me Over, the Marvelette’s Message to Michael and Gloria Gaynor’s Walk on By.

Fortunately, for those who are willing to pay import prices, there is a six-CD version of the album being released in Europe that picks up three additional Warwick hits and a whole lot of what is missing here along with a two-CD set with a different track list from the U.S. version.

The six-CD set is of particular interest as it spreads the hits over four of the discs while adding a fifth with Bacharach’s versions of many of the songs and a sixth dedicated to mainly jazz artists.

So, as we did when the Rolling Stones released the various configurations of GRRR!, we’ve put together a chart to try and decipher the various versions of these Burt Bacharach retrospectives.

Track List:

Engelbert Humperdinck, last year’s entrant for Britain in the Eurovision Song Contest, has sent a note of support to Bonnie Tyler, who is representing the UK this year.

Engelbert Humperdinck - image by Ros O'Gorman

“Dear Bonnie”, Engelbert’s letter starts. “I wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate you on being the one to represent our wonderful country. The Eurovision was such a great step in my career and with the grand support of the BBC and my beloved country behind me, the loss of winning had me stepping on a loose unforgiving stone on a pyramid to paradise … but paradise will always be there to triumph in fair judgement to the pride of our country again”.

Engelbert Humperdinck

“PS. You can do it Bonnie”.

Engelbert’s son and manager Scott Dorsey said that three hours from performing to hearing who won at Eurovision is “the longest night of your life”. “If you have three hours to kill, as my father Engelbert Humperdinck had last year, after being first on — waiting while the other 25 contestants sang, then waiting for the votes to come in — then it can be the longest night of your life,” Scott said.

Scott also admits that, even now, his dad gets nervous before every show. Even though he’s been performing for more than 50 years, Dad still gets nervous before every show, and that night was no exception.

The Eurovision Song Contest will take place this weekend, May 18 from Malmo, Sweden.

Englebert Humperdinck will tour Australia in July.

Dates are:

July 3, Newcastle, Civic Theatre
July 5, Brisbane, QPAC
July 8, Melbourne, Hamer Hall
July 10, Sydney, The Star Event Centre
July 13, Perth, Crown Theatre

Denmark has won the Eurovision Song Contest for 2013.

Eurovision 2013

20-year old Emmelie De Forest was for Denmark with the song ‘Only Teardrops’.

Emmelie scored 281 points followed by Azerbaijan with 234 points and Ukraine with 214 poits.

This year’s event was hosted by Malmo, Sweden. Abba’s Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus penned the anthem this year with Swedish DJ Avicii. Abba won Euorvision in 1974 with their song ‘Waterloo’.

Once again the UK was unsuccessful with its entrant. Bonnie Tyler came in 19th place with her power ballad ‘Believe In Me. She fared slightly better than the Engelbert Humperdinck position of last year. Bonnie did beat Ireland’s entrant Ryan Dolan.

The 26 countries competing for Eurovision were Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Norway, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Ukraine and Britain.

Engelbert Humperdinck has asked Tom Jones to put their differences aside and record their first ever duet together.

Scott Dorsey, Elton John, Engelbert Humperdinck

In a tweet from @ehumperdinck to Sir Tom, Engelbert posted, “‪@RealSirTomJones Hey Tom I think we should put our differences aside and record a duet in the honour of Gordon Mills. what do you think?”

Gordon Mills was the original manager of Tom and Engelbert. He changed the name of Tom Woodward Tom Jones and renamed Gerry Dorsey Engelbert Humperdinck. Mills also discovered a young Raymond O’Sullivan and changed his name to Gilbert O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan wrote his song ‘Clair’ after Mills daughter Clair.

Mills was also a songwriter and wrote songs for Cliff Richard & The Shadows, Johnny Kidd & The Pirates and the 1961 pop hit ‘Who Put The Bomp (In The Bomp Bomp Bomp)’.

He died in 1986 at age 51 from stomach cancer.

Considering their parallel heritage Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck have never recorded together although they have performed together on television.

Engelbert’s manager and son Scott Dorsey has a possible explanation why Tom has turned down the chance to sing with his father. “Mate I think Tom is scared to sing in the same room as my father,” he tells Noise11. “EH’s pipes have withstood the test of time (touch wood) and he is singing better than ever”.

Scott sent the offer for Tom via Tom’s manager Mark Woodward. “I approached Mark a couple of months ago offering TJ a spot on the new duets CD and “pitched” it as a great way to pay respect and homage to their first manager, Gordon Mills and they immediately turned it down. Its such a shame because EH and TJ have such a rich musical past, present and future that it would nice to record something for the archives. I can only think that he is scared that EH will sound better than him.”

Engelbert is a huge Tom Jones fan. “My father always praises Toms vocals as “some of the best pipes in the business” whenever he hears him perform on TV,” he said.

Engelbert is currently recording an album of duets and has already recorded with Willie Nelson, Sir Elton John and Smokey Robinson for the album.

Music legend Engelbert Humperdinck is spending time with his family in Sydney before starting his Australian tout this week.

Engelbert’s son and manager Scott Dorsey lives in Sydney with his wife Jo and their three-year old daughter Kiki. A trip to Sydney gives Engelbert the chance to also see his Australian-born granddaughter.

The 77-year old superstar performed last week in New Zealand to rave reviews. The current set features songs from his upcoming duets album including his cover of Elton John’s ‘Something About The Way You Look Tonight’ and Bob Dylan’s ‘Make You Feel My Love’.

The New Zealand show also featured his song ‘Ten Guitars’, the b-side of his big hit ‘Release Me’, but in New Zealand the song went on to become the country’s unofficial national anthem. Engelbert recently recorded a new version of the song with The Break, featuring members of Midnight Oil and Violent Femmes.

The Australian leg of the Engelbert Humperdinck tour will kick off in Newcastle on Wednesday.

Dates are:

July 3, Newcastle, Civic Theatre
July 5 and 6, Brisbane, QPAC Concert
July 8, Melbourne, Hamer Hall
July 10, Sydney, The Star Event Centre
Jul y13, Perth, Crown Theatre

The legendary Engelbert Humperdinck is back touring Australia with a completely new show that he has made totally relevant for the fans both old and new.

For an artist as successful as Engelbert with a career spanning 45 years balancing the setlist to keep the old and new faces in the audience entertained could be hard work but not for this pro. Engelbert Humperdinck knows how to keep the audience entertained by giving the people what they want with a few surprises thrown in.

For starters, the show kicks off with an unexpected cover of the Santana/Rob Thomas classic ‘Smooth’. The uptempo rock hit fired up the crowd from the first note and announced that Engelbert was not an artist content to stay with the past.

The Greatest Hits and More tour includes his new version of ‘Ten Guitars’. Engelbert re-recorded the song after meeting Violent Femmes bass player Brian Ritchie at his Melbourne show in 2010. Brian is also a member of Australian band The Break with members of Midnight Oil and the two decided then and there to record the new version, now available on The Break’s ‘Space Farm’ album.

Engelbert’s ‘Greatest Hits and More’ show is music history from start to finish. A giant video screen backdrop showed momentous images from the past including a humourous and entertaining duet with his friend Dean Martin, photos of EH and Elvis and original television performances of classic songs while he sang the hits live.

Fans have been anticipating the release of his new duets album, due in October, and the audience was treated to a sneak preview of the album with a virtual duet of ‘Something About The Way You Look Tonight’ with Elton John. The setlist featured a selection of songs from the duets album including Bob Dylan’s ‘To Make You Feel My Love’, recorded with Willie Nelson and The Hungry Years, recorded with Neil Sedaka.

Engelbert is 110% entertainer. He talks to the audience, he is funny. He told one joke about how he has one handkerchief on stage but Tom Jones has 30 … down his pants.

A countrified version of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘I’m On Fire’ was another surprise and Dr Hook’s ‘You Make My Pants Want To Get Up And Dance’ put a smile on the faces of the audience.

Of course, Engelbert Humperdinck became the legend he is today because of his evergreen classics ‘Release Me’, ‘The Last Waltz’, ‘There Goes My Everything’, ‘Quando Quando Quando’, ‘A Man Without Love’ and ‘Am I That Easy To Forget’. The audience heard all the songs they came to hear and no-one left disappointed.

Engelbert’s next show is Wednesday, July 10 at Star Casino in Sydney before finishing at Crown Theatre, Perth on July 13.

The setlist from July 8, 2013 was:

Smooth
Am I That Easy To Forget
Love Story
A Man Without Love
Help Me Make It Through The Night
After The Lovin’
You Make My Pants Want To Get Up And Dance
Quando Quando Quando
Ten Guitars
The Hungry Years
Something About The Way You Look Tonight
To Make You Feel My Love
I Can’t Stop Loving You
The Power Of Love
I’m On Fire
The Last Waltz
This Moment In Time
There Goes My Everything
Spanish Eyes
Release Me
Feelings

Watch the Noise11 Engelbert Humperdinck interview here:

Music legend Engelbert Humperdinck is to record a duet with Rock God Gene Simmons of Kiss.

“Isn’t that something. It is going to be very exciting,” Engelbert told Noise11.

Engelbert will head back to the studio when he gets home to Los Angeles to record the yet-to-be named song with Gene.

The duets album, due in October, already has an impressive line-up of stars who wanted to be part of the project. “There’s Elton, there’s Smokey Robinson, there’s Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers and Neil Sedaka and it goes on and on and on. It is very exciting names on this particular album. I’m so thrilled that everyone has responded and wanted to work on the album with me and I think it has been a very exciting project,” he said.

Engelbert Humperdinck will perform in Sydney tonight (July 10) at Star Casino and perform his final Australian show in Perth on July 13 at Crown Theatre. Read the Melbourne review here

Watch the Noise11 Engelbert Humperdinck interview here:

Engelbert Humperdinck has released his first book ‘From The Heart’.

‘From The Heart’ is a 72-page book of quotes from the legendary entertainer.

“I don’t know where they come from and how they come into my head,” Engelbert tells Noise11.com. “It is a form of release value for me and a daily basis to be able to write a quote that means something from my heart and its original. I hope the people enjoy my daily thoughts”.

Every quote features an image designed and edited by Engelbert’s daughter-in-law Jo Dorsey. Engelbert has dedicated ‘From The Heart’ to “my family, my friends, my fans but most of all my beautiful wife Patricia’.

The 77-year old music icon married Patricia in 1968. They have four children. Son Scott Dorsey manages the empire from his Sydney headquarters.

‘From The Heart’ is available online from ehmerchandise.com

Watch the Noise11 interview with Engelbert Humperdinck:

Engelbert Humperdinck has recruited Lulu to sing with him on his upcoming Duets CD and will head to the studio over the coming week to lay down the track.

Duets will feature songs with Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, Elton John, Gene Simmons and Shelby Lynne. Engelbert is also promising a few more last minute surprises.

Engelbert Humperdinck ‘Duets’ also now has a release date. The album will come out on October 25 in the UK and January 15 for the rest of the world.

Engelbert Humperdinck’s ‘From The Heart’ is now also available at his website as well as at his gigs. ‘From The Heart’ is a 72-page book of original quotes from the legend himself with images designed and edited by his daughter-in-law Jo Dorsey. “I don’t know where they come from and how they come into my head,” Engelbert tells Noise11.com. “It is a form of release value for me and a daily basis to be able to write a quote that means something from my heart and its original. I hope the people enjoy my daily thoughts”.

Watch the Noise11 interview with Engelbert Humperdinck.

The legendary Engelbert Humperdinck spent the day in the studio with Kiss founder Gene Simmons laying down a track for his Duets albums.

Engelbert is nearing completion of the album which features songs with Willie Nelson, Elton John and Smokey Robinson and now Simmons.

Engelbert exclusively announced the Simmons duet in his interview with Noise11. “There’s Elton, there’s Smokey Robinson, there’s Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers and Neil Sedaka and it goes on and on and on. It is very exciting names on this particular album. I’m so thrilled that everyone has responded and wanted to work on the album with me and I think it has been a very exciting project,” he said.

Last week he also announced 60s British pop star Lulu would also join him on the album.

Today Engelbert told fans via Facebook, “What an absolute pleasure to meet and record with this giant of a Rock God! A fantastic day with Gene Simmons and his gorgeous wife Shannon.”

Watch footage of Gene and Engelbert meeting up in the studio in LA:

Watch the Noise11.com Engelbert Humperdinck interview:

Fact: Elvis Presley and Engelbert Humperdinck were great friends.

Elvis Presley’s signature sideburns were a copied from his pal Engelbert and when he went to Stax to make his recording in the late 60s he also covered songs already recorded by Engelbert.

The new ‘Elvis At Stax’ 3-disc is a compilation of all of Elvis’ Stax recordings put together in one collection. Elvis recorded the songs at Stax studios in his hometown of Memphis from July to December, 1973.

During these sessions Elvis covered ‘Spanish Eyes’, also recorded by Engelbert Humperdinck in 1969 and originally a hit for Al Martino in 1966).

“He was wonderful. Probably one of the dearest people I have ever met in my life,” Engelbert said in an interview with Noise11.com. “He was one of the most kind-hearted, benevolent people you will ever come across. He would be driving in his car and see somebody barefoot on the street and whatever he had in his pocket he would take and he would give it to them and say ‘get yourself a pair of shoes’. He was that kind of guy”.

Engelbert says the people around him are probably the reason Elvis isn’t with us anymore. “I don’t think he was misunderstood. I think he was mishandled by his friends,” Engelbert said.

Watch the Engelbert Humperdinck interview with Noise11:

‘Elvis At Stax’ is out now through Sony Music. The tracklisting is:

Elvis At Stax: Deluxe Edition (RCA/Legacy 88883 72418 2) Disc 1: The R&B and Country Sessions : The Outtakes: Selections : 1. I Got A Feelin’ In My Body – take 1 (I) • 2. Find Out What’s Happening – takes 8-7 (B) • 3. Promised Land – take 4 (I) • 4. For Ol’ Times Sake – take 4 (I) • 5. I’ve Got A Thing About You, Babe – take 14 (I) • 6. It’s Midnight – take 7 (F) • 7. If You Talk In Your Sleep – take 5 (J) • 8. Loving Arms – take 2 (I) • 9. You Asked Me To – take 3A (F) • 10. Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues – take 8 (I) • 11. Talk About The Good Times – take 3 (I) • 12. There’s A Honky Tonk Angel – take 1 (I) • 13. She Wears My Ring – take 8 (I) • 14. Three Corn Patches – take 14 (I) • 15. I Got A Feelin’ In My Body – take 4 (J) • 16. If You Don’t Come Back – take 3 (I) • 17. Promised Land – take 5 (H).

Disc 2: Part 1 : The Pop Sessions : The Outtakes: Selections : 1. Mr. Songman – take 2 (F) • 2. Your Love’s Been A Long time Coming – take 4 (I) • 3. Spanish Eyes – take 2 (I) • 4. Take Good Care Of Her – takes 1,2,3 (D) • 5. It’s Diff’rent Now (unfinished recording) (G) • 6. Thinking About You – take 4 (I) • 7. My Boy – take 1 (D) • 8. Girl Of Mine – take 9 (I) • 9. Love Song Of The Year – take 1 (F) • 10. If That Isn’t Love – take 1 (I) • Part 2 : The July 1973 Masters: • 11. Raised On Rock (Hot 100 #41, country #42) (A) • 12. For Ol’ Time Sake (charts same as track 11) (A) • 13. I’ve Got A Thing About You Baby (Hot 100 #39, country #4) (C) • 14. Take Good Care Of Her (charts same as track 13) (C) • 15. If You Don’t Come Back (A) • 16. Three Corn Patches (A) • 17. Girl Of Mine (A) • 18. Just A Little Bit (A) • 19. Find Out What’s Happening (A) • 20. Sweet Angeline (A) .

Disc 3: The December 1973 Masters: Selections : 1. Promised Land (Hot 100 #14, country #9) (E) • 2. It’s Midnight (charts same as track 1) (E) • 3. If You Talk In Your Sleep (Hot 100 #17, country #6) (E) • 4. Help Me (charts same as track 3) (E) • 5. My Boy (Hot 100 #20, country #14) (C) • 6. Thinking About You (charts same as track 5) (E) • 7. Mr. Songman (Hot 100 #35, country #11) (E) • 8. I Got A Feelin’ In My Body (C) • 9. Loving Arms (C) • 10. Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues (C) • 11. You Asked Me To (E) • 12. There’s A Honky Tonk Angel (Who Will Take Me Back In) (E) • 13. Talk About The Good Times (C) • 14. She Wears My Ring (C) • 15. Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming (E) • 16. Love Song Of The Year (E) • 17. Spanish Eyes (C) • 18. If That Isn’t Love (C).

‘From The Heart’, the 72-page book of original quotes by Engelbert Humperdinck is a hit.

‘From The Heart’ is about to go into it’s third edition. “I don’t know where they come from and how they come into my head,” Engelbert tells Noise11.com. “It is a form of release value for me and a daily basis to be able to write a quote that means something from my heart and its original. I hope the people enjoy my daily thoughts”.

The book is a collaboration with Engelbert’s daughter-in-law Jo Dorsey. Jo designed the images in the book matching Engelbert’s quotes. Engelbert had been collecting his thoughts for a number of years when he decided to share them with fans in the book.

Jo and Engelbert’s son Scott Dorsey are based in Sydney. Scott manages his dad’s “ family business”.

‘From The Heart’ is available online at Engelbert’s merch site.

Watch the Noise11 Engelbert Humperdinck interview here:

The Engelbert Humperdinck 2014 duets album has a new star act. Il Divo have re-recorded Engelbert’s classic ‘Spanish Eyes’ with the legendary singer.

Il Divo are the pop-operatic act formed in 2004 by American Idol creator Simon Cowell. Cowell conducted a two-year worldwide search for singers to be part of the Il Divo project. Urs Bühler, Sébastien Izambard, David Miller and Carlos Marin became Il Divo and in 2013 joined Engelbert in the studio for the ‘Spanish Eyes’ remake.

‘Spanish Eyes’ was written by German composer Bert Kaempfert originally as ‘Moon Over Naples. The song was recorded in English as ‘Spanish Eyes’ by Engelbert in 1969.

The eagerly awaited Engelbert Humperdinck album now also has a name. It has been christened ‘Engelbert Calling’.

Engelbert Humperdinck has gathered an impressive number of mates for this record including Gene Simmons of Kiss, Elton John, Neil Sedaka, Willie Nelson, Lulu and Smokey Robinson.

“The CD is shaping up extremely well and I am delighted to be working with some of the greats of this industry,” Engelbert told Noise11.com.

‘Engelbert Calling’ by Engelbert Humperdinck will be released on March 17, 2014.

Engelbert Humperdinck at Hamer Hall, Melbourne, 2013

Watch the Noise11.com interview with Engelbert Humperdinck

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Engelbert Humperdinck is believed to be in discussions with producer Simon Cowell after he was spotted leaving Cowell’s London office on Thursday with his manager/son Scott Dorsey.

As reported last week by Noise11.com, the legendary singer recently recorded a new version of his classic ‘Spanish Eyes’ with Cowell discovery and mentored band Il Divo. The song will be featured on Engelbert’s upcoming duets record ‘Engelbert Calling’.

Noise11 has heard that Cowell was so impressed with the Il Divo/Engelbert Humperdinck duet that he called a meeting with the singer and his manager to discuss a mentoring position for one of his shows.

Cowell is the creator of The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent and created the American Idol franchise.

The decision for Engelbert Humperdinck to join one of the shows would not be an easy decision to make. The 77-year old music legend is still one of the hardest working acts in showbiz performing over 100 shows around the world still every year.

Engelbert Humperdinck is still earning over $10 million a year, according to industry publications, and has a net worth of $150 million, according to celebrityworth.com.

If the singer does accept a job on television it would mean stopping touring for an extended period and that is something he has never done.

Engelbert Humperdinck’s ‘Engelbert Calling’ album will be released on March 17, 2014. The album will also feature duets with Elton John, Gene Simmons, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, Lulu, Willie Nelson and Neil Sedaka.

Watch the Noise11.com interview with Engelbert Humperdinck

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Engelbert Humperdinck has recorded a cover of the Shirley Bassey classic ‘Never Never Never’ with Olivia Newton-John for his forthcoming duets album ‘Engelbert Calling’.

“Olivia has one of the best,sweetest and purest voices around, which matches her personality.I am absolutely thrilled that she has recorded this beautiful song with me,” Engelbert told Noise11.com

Dame Shirley Bassey recorded ‘Never, Never, Never’ in 1972. The song was originally the Italian song ‘Grande, Grande, Grande’ and a number one hit on the Italian chart in 1972 for Mina. Shirley Bassey recorded the English version ‘Never, Never, Never’ and it became a number one hit in Australia for Dame Shirley in 1972. Her version also reached number 8 in the UK and number 48 in the USA.

Shirley Bassey – Never Never Never

Mina Grande, Grande, Grande

‘Never, Never, Never’ was also covered by Celine Dion with Luciano Pavarotti in 1997 as ‘I Hate You Then I Love You’.

Celine Dion and Pavarotti – I Hate You, I Love You

Olivia Newton-John recorded her vocals for Engelbert Humperdinck’s ‘Never, Never, Never’ in Los Angeles this week.

Engelbert re-recorded his classic ‘Spanish Eyes’ with Il Divo in London in December. The recording turned out so good that it prompted a meeting with Simon Cowell to discuss a position for the legendary singer on one of Cowell’s shows as a mentor.

Engelbert Humperdinck’s ‘Engelbert Calling’ album will be released on March 17, 2014. The album will also feature duets with Elton John, Gene Simmons, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, Lulu, Willie Nelson and Neil Sedaka.

Watch the Noise11.com Engelbert Humperdinck interview

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Smokey Robinson, the Motown songwriting legend, has been awarded the Music For Life Award by NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) during their annual convention, currently going on in Anaheim, CA.

Robinson was recognised for his five decades in the music business and his role in starting Motown Records.

NAMM President and CEO Joe Lammond said “So much of what we at NAMM stand for is exemplified in the career and life of the legendary Smokey Robinson. His influence on musicians, producers, writers and even sound engineers continues to be profoundly felt today. He is a symbol of creativity and a beacon of inspiration to many. His music is authentic and emotionally real, and it is his ability to touch so many people with this talent that makes Smokey Robinson a true ambassador for music.”

The NAMM trade show, which highlights the best in music from new acts to new equipment, runs through Sunday.

Smokey Robinson will be head soon duetting with Engelbert Humperdinck on Engelbert’s upcoming duets album ‘Engelbert Calling’.

Read more at VVNMusic.com

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Engelbert Humperdinck’s new duets album ‘Engelbert Calling’ is almost complete and will be released in March.

Over the past six months, names have occasionally been mentioned of artists with which Engelbert Humperdinck has been recording. Elton John, Cliff Richard, Smokey Robinson and Gene Simmons have been named but, until now, we haven’t had confirmation of the complete list.

Artwork has been posted on both Engelbert’s and Johnny Mathis’ sites showing a possible cover on the album plus a list of twenty artists that will be included on the album. The artwork also says that two additional tracks/artists are yet to be named. Still, those that are mentioned make up a very impressive roster ranging across ages and genres.

Engelbert Calling artists

Charles Aznavour
Andrea Corr
Luis Fonsi
Il Divo
Elton John
Olivia Newton-John
Beverley Knight
Lulu
Shelby Lynne
Armando Manzanero
Johnny Mathis
Willie Nelson
Cliff Richard
Smokey Robinson
Kenny Rogers
Neil Sedaka
Ron Sexsmith
Gene Simmons
Tini
Dionne Warwick

The songs that each participate on has not been announced, although the Mathis site says the Engelbert and Johnny recorded A Certain Smile.

Engelbert Calling is scheduled for a March 17 release.

Watch the Noise11 interview with Engelbert Humperdinck

Read more at VVNMusic.com

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