Engelbert Humperdinck will be performing at the South Okanagan Events Centre in June.

Engelbert Humperdinck will be performing at the South Okanagan Events Centre in June.

Humperdinck ready to romance Penticton at the SOEC

Legendary Engelbert Humperdinck will be at the South Okanagan Events Centre on June 14 for a night of romantic love ballads and dance hits.

The legendary Engelbert Humperdinck will be at the South Okanagan Events Centre on June 14 for a night of romantic love ballads and dance hits.

Humperdinck’s remarkable voice and extraordinary talent has endeared him to millions of fans around the globe.

With four Grammy nominations, a Golden Globe for Entertainer of the Year (1988), 63 gold and 24 platinum records and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Humperdinck continues his remarkable career. Romance serves as the core of Humperdinck’s music and lasting success. He knows how to pick songs with eternal themes of love and longing, and lovers always want to hear them sung.

In the past few years, he has joined an elite group of musical artists, such as Tony Bennett and Burt Bacharach, who have crossed over successfully to strike a new chord with a younger generation in addition to their core audiences. His career has recorded everything from the most romantic ballads to the platinum-selling theme song for the 1996 Beavis and Butthead movie. Few people realize that several of the major forces in the world of rock n’ roll, including Jimi Hendrix and The Carpenters, started out as opening acts for Humperdinck in the late 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.

In 1999, Humperdinck recorded The Dance Album as his first album in the dance genre. Released by the red-hot dance label Interhit Records, the album featured newly recorded dance versions of six of Engelbert’s greatest hits, along with five original songs. Favourites such as Quando, Quando, Quando and Release Me are set to an infectious dance beat by dance producer/ remixers Chris Cox and Barry Harris, known collectively as Thunderpuss 2000. The album has enjoyed tremendous success, with Release Me hitting Top Ten in the Billboard Dance charts.

Engelbert has just about completed recording his first duets CD Engelbert Calling. He has recently completed tracks with a who’s who of the music world, including Sir Elton John, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, Shelby Lynne, Dionne Warwick, Kenny Rogers and Gene Simmons, to name a few.

Sir Elton said his new recording pal was “one of the sweetest and nicest people I have ever worked with.” He went on, “We had a great time singing together. He is 76 years old and still sounding as good as ever.”

Comedian Herb Dixon will be making a special guest appearance. He is one of North America’s most sought after comedic acts. With his rubber face, his ability to recreate sounds and his talent to tell an engaging story, Dixon has been cracking up audiences for over 20 years. From corporate conventions to cruise ships to headline performances with some of today’s biggest stars, Herb Dixon finds a way to have fun with every audience.

Tickets for Engelbert Humperdinck with special guest Herb Dixon are $35, $55, and $75 (plus taxes and fees). Tickets can be purchased at www.ValleyFirstTix.com by telephone at 1-877-SOEC-TIX (763-2849) or in person at the Valley First Box Office (at the SOEC) and Wine Country Visitor Centre. VIP Tickets are $205 and $225 (plus taxes and fees) and are only available in person at the Valley First Box Office and online. Tickets go on sale Monday, May 5 at 10 a.m.

Penticton Western News