Bradley Dorsey fondly recalls the pivotal moment when he performed for his father, hoping to impress the musical maestro with his own talents.
As Bradley serenaded him, his dad—none other than Engelbert Humperdinck, a titan of the music scene from Leicestershire—listened intently, eyes shut, finally giving his nod of approval with the words: "Son, I can't find a single fault in that."
The surname Humperdinck carries weight in the industry; after all, Engelbert was once Gerry Dorsey before achieving fame. In an enchanting twist fit for Hollywood, it was in their Bel Air home where Bradley took the plunge, his palms slick with nerves as he performed Bob Seger's 'We've Got Tonight' for his dad, a memory he relished as they had previously collaborated on the poignant 'Father and Son' by Cat Stevens.
This intimate audition marked Bradley's bid to brave the recording studio and greet the public with his work. Speaking exclusively to LeicestershireLive after touching down in the UK and heading to Great Glen, to their family abode just outside Leicester, Bradley shared: "It's good to be back in this house," with his father seated nearby. "This is my childhood home for sure, and everywhere I look there are memories."
His father, who was known as Gerry Dorsey in his early years, grew up in the city. It was here that he honed his talent and rose to international fame in the late 1950s and early 1960s, reports Leicestershire Live. Today, Enge remains a global star and is incredibly proud of his son's work. Bradley recently released his debut album, 'I've Got Dreams', just over a week ago.
The 13-track album pays tribute to Bradley's musical heroes, including Kenny Rogers, Sir Tom Jones, Seger, and The Beatles. He even covers The Beatles' 'Come Together', which was released as a single last month (November). Steppenwolf's classic Born To Be Wild also features on the album. The record includes references to his dad, with one track titled 'Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)', which was a hit for Engelbert in 1967.
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Redpix)This heart-wrenching song reached number one in the UK charts in March of that year, staying there for six weeks. Notably, it prevented The Beatles' double A-side Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane from reaching the top spot and was the highest-selling single of the year.
"The album contains songs that I would call 'standards', songs by people I admire. But, I also wanted to pay homage to Dad," Bradley shares. "I do Release Me on stage, but with a real Blues inflection. For the album, there's a Country and Western feel to it. My sister Louise and her daughter, Olivia, and Dad sing on it. So, yes, I've gone there, I've recorded Release Me. dad loved it. Hearing from him that I've done justice to that song was the ultimate stamp of approval."
He has included a further two of his dad's songs. "One is a song my dad wrote when he was still called Gerry Dorsey," reveals Bradley. "It's called 'This and That'. Tom Jones released it as a single. The other is called 'A Good Thing Going'. I'd not heard it until a few weeks before I recorded it. I called him up and asked about it and he told he'd written it in the 1960s. It's a such a fine song."
And how about the influence of his famous dad? "He has influenced every ounce of me," admits Bradley. "I have learned so much from him. I've watched him and learned from my dad my whole life. I've been fortunate to see how he approaches his songs and his shows all this time."
"His dedication to his work is extraordinary. I'm doing my best to follow his example, all the things he has done in his life. I know what it takes. It takes a lot of hard work, but that's the fun part about it.I've been singing here and there for a few years now, but in the past two years I have really took it on. I said to myself, 'Okay, I need to do this now'. There were a lot of nerves in the beginning. I was always thinking, 'How do I follow in Dad's footsteps? '. Being on stage now, though, I feel happy. I've been watching him do it all my life, and now here I am."
At this point, the legendary man himself interjects. Now 88, Enge informs us he is in excellent condition and has recently completed 10 shows on the East Coast. Our thoughts momentarily, and foolishly, drift to Skegness, Ingoldmells, Chapel St Leonards and similar places before we remember just who we're speaking with, and the ensuing conversation clarifies he was referring to the US. More shows are set to follow in the new year.
Take a moment to ponder this man's accomplishments and accolades. They are simply astonishing, as is his list of hits which followed Release Me, including 'The Last Waltz', 'There Goes My Everything', 'Am I That Easy To Forget', 'A Man Without Love (Quando M'Innamoro)', 'Les Bicyclettes de Belsize' and 'The Way It Used To Be'.
Engelbert has sold more than 150 million records worldwide, and has 63 gold and 24 platinum discs. He has received four Grammy nominations, a Golden Globe for Entertainer of the Year and is honoured with a star on both the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Las Vegas Walk of Fame.
In 2009, Engelbert Humperdinck was awarded the Honorary Freedom of Leicester alongside author Sue Townsend and Leicester City legend Alan Birchenall. Over a decade later, he received an MBE for his services to music.
Speaking to LeicestershireLive about Bradley, he said: "I am very proud of Bradley," he says. "He went into the studio and recorded this all by himself. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect."
"I first heard it when we were in the house in LA. His voice is perfection. I'm critical of myself and I'm critical of other people too, but I told him I could find absolutely nothing to fault in what he has done and is doing. I can remember when I was first recording in the early days of my career, how exciting it all is. Now, I'm excited for Bradley."
After a traditional family Christmas in Leicestershire, Engelbert is preparing to release a new album in 2025 and perform live. He says: "It's work, work, work at the moment."
English (US) ·