Arnold George Dorsey was born in India in 1936. His father was a British military officer. The family moved to England when Dorsey was ten years old.
During the late 1950s when Arnold was in his twenties, he tried to become a pop singer to limited success.
Arnold lived in a London flat and took in a roommate named Gordon Mills.
He was also born in India to a British soldier.
Mills became a manager of musical performers. He managed the career of a Welsh singer named Thomas Woodward. Like Arnold, Woodward’s career had yet to take off.
One of 1963’s biggest hit movies was ‘Tom Jones’ starring Albert Finney, based on the classic novel. It won the Academy Award for Best Motion Picture.
Taking advantage of that popular film, Mills recommended that Woodward change his stage name. Thomas Woodward became Tom Jones.
By 1965, Tom Jones became an international star with his hit song “It’s Not Unusual.” He also sang the theme song to the motion picture “What’s New Pussycat?” The tune was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
Gordon Mills also wrote several songs on Tom Jones’ albums.
Through Jones, Mills achieved some success, but he never forgot his old roommate Arnold.
Mills suggested that Arnold should also change his name the way Woodward had. But what name should they choose? Something unusual and unforgettable.
They borrowed the name of a German composer from the 1800s who wrote the opera Hansel and Gretel.
After the name change, Arnold finally had a hit single in 1967 with ‘Release Me.’ The next year brought his second hit single ‘A Man Without Love.’
For over 50 years, Arnold George Dorsey has used the stage name Engelbert Humperdinck.
ALSO: One of the studio musicians on the single ‘Release Me’ was future rock legend Jimmy Page.
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