It was a long road to success for Engelbert Humperdinck. The British singer recently revealed on his podcast that talent agents often made unwanted advances toward him early in his career.
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Engelbert Humperdinck Said He Was "Chased a Lot by Agents"
On last week's episode of The Engelbert Humperdinck Show, the 90-year-old "A Man Without Love" singer discussed some of the adversity he faced when he began pursuing a music career in the 1950s.
Humperdinck traveled from his hometown of Leicester, England, to London to meet with talent agents. At the time, his older sister could only give him enough money for one night in a hotel in the bustling English city.
Despite his obvious talent, Humperdinck found finding an agent to be a "very difficult task." Many did not pursue him for his vocal skills.
"In those days, you know, a lot of the agencies were...the men that fancied men," said Humperdinck. "I had to go through a lot because I got chased a lot by agents."
The Singer Eventually Found Someone to Help Him
Humperdinck said he "avoided all that" by staying "true" to himself. But in doing so, he "went through hell," he said.
"Casting couch, it's called the casting couch, right?" he recalled. "Not in a Hollywood way, but in an agent's way, you know. Every agent I went to was the same thing."
Humperdinck eventually found Sydney Myers, who was married. Myers invited the singer to stay in his apartment with his wife for six months while he introduced him to the industry and helped cover living expenses.
"[His wife] treated me very well. I ate very well during that six months, you know," he said. "And he was a meticulous man. I liked him very much."
Myers helped Humperdinck snag a 42-week gig on the British show Song Parade. He performed under his birth name, Gerry Dorsey. The exposure helped him get more work.
You can watch Humperdinck tell his story in the video below.
