At 90, Engelbert Humperdinck has an unusual workout routine he credits with keeping him “alive” and going strong.
The British singer, known as the “King of Romance,” recently appeared on “The Jim Masters Show,” where he shared his unconventional exercise regimen.
“I walk out in the pool all the day,” he told the host. “I do all my martial art moves in the pool underwater, which makes it even more effective. … And that’s how I stay alive and keep going and keep myself as fit as possible so that the audience can see me in a respectable way.”
“That’s where I work out there in the pool,” he said. “I do all my stuff up there, which is great.”
And it appears to be working. The “Release Me” singer is still performing regularly, with concert dates scheduled into 2027 abroad. He’s also preparing to release a new album, “Faithfully,” on Aug. 28. The album features Humperdinck putting his own spin on songs by Journey, the Cars, KISS and Aerosmith, with several guest musicians joining him on the record.
While Humperdinck is working to keep his body young, a decades-old song is helping him reach younger audiences. His 1968 track “A Man Without Love” was featured in two episodes of Marvel Studios’ “Moon Knight.”
“… Since ‘Man Without Love,’ it’s triggered something off,” he said. “And it’s so nice. It’s so nice to know that people are now not worried about an age. They’re worried about the music, and that’s all that counts as far as I’m concerned. But I try to stay as young as possible all the time.”
While Humperdinck continues connecting with audiences through the love songs that made him famous, the lyrics have taken on a deeper meaning since his wife, Patricia, died in 2021 after living with Alzheimer’s disease and contracting COVID-19. The couple married in 1964 and remained together for 57 years until her death at age 85.
“She’s the backbone. She was the backbone to my whole life, I think, because she started with me when I was nobody. … And so she was instrumental in the early years. And when I really made it in the industry and got a family, I used to have to leave home for about three months at a time. And she raised the children by herself.”
While his heartfelt ballads are now bittersweet, Humperdinck still finds joy in performing them for audiences today.
“There’s no better feeling. There’s no better feeling than walking on stage,” he said. “I call myself a thespian of song. So when I’m singing, I act a part. It’s not acting really, it’s reality coming through. But I give my all and I read the lyrics a little differently now, especially since I lost my wife. And it comes out more sincere.”
“I’m a ballad singer, and I love, love singing ballads,” he said. “There’s nothing like a good romantic ballad to touch the heart. And it puts people together. … I feel responsible for putting people together.”
When the final curtain eventually falls, Humperdinck hopes those songs will continue bringing people together.
“My legacy is my music, and music is timeless,” he said. “And I listen to the radio and I watch on my phone, and I see the people in the past who have had massive, massive hits, and they’re still being viewed by the living. And that’s just wonderful. That’s the kind of legacy I want to leave behind. I want to leave a good taste in my career behind.”
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