ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK

I left school when I was 15 and I had to take an apprenticeship in an engineering factory. I hated it, but it was my father’s wish that I should have a good engineering job. I did it for about a year but my wish was to be in showbusiness. I didn’t know at the age of 16 that I was going to be a singer though. It was a year later, when I was 17, that I got up and sang in a club and people liked it. I just got up and sang, because I had courage after having a pint of beer, which I shouldn’t have had. The people stood up, and they never did that when I played the saxophone. Then they came over and asked, who’s your agent? I said, I’m not in showbiz. So that gave me a signal. I thought to myself, I must follow this up.