Engelbert Humperdinck

Born Arnold Dorsey, UK crooner Engelbert Humperdinck knew early on that he wanted to be a musician, but had difficulty finding success after a decade of singing in night clubs. However, in the late 1960s, after changing his given name to that of the German composer, Humperdinck signed to Decca, which put out his single "Release Me,"a track that topped the charts in the US and UK, impressively preventing the Beatles song "Strawberry Fields Forever"from ever obtaining the number one slot in the band's native country. With his smoothly sung lyrics about love and his charming good looks, the singer was bestowed with the nickname "King of Romance," and to this day continues to perform to smitten fans around the world.