Engelbert's No.1

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In January this year, Engelbert took to the stage at De Montfort Hall to receive an honorary doctorate in music from the University of Leicester.

"I am extremely proud to have received this honour" he said. "It is the first honour I have received from my own city, or indeed my country, and to be honoured by the University of Leicester has given me a massive boost."

Engelbert was chosen as one of four nationally and internationally acclaimed people receiving awards at the ceremony because of the support he has given to the university over the years. University chiefs also chose Engelbert for the award because of his role in putting Leicestershire on the international map.

Engelbert is a proud patron of the County Air Ambulance service, which needs to raise £2.4 million a year to keep flying, so he decided to auction one of his a prized Harley-Davidson motorcycles to raise money for charity.

Humperdinck

At the time of our visit, the bike had attracted 14 bids, the highest in excess of £5,000, on the auction site, eBay and there were still nine days left to run. Fundraisers hoped the sale would attract offers of up to £50,000 because of the glamour associated with the mega-star.

He has owned the Soft-tail Classic bike since 1992 and used it to ride up and down the Pacific Highway in California.

"I do not ride the bike as much as I used to and it is such a beautiful bike that it seems a waste for it to stand around not being used. So I decided to put it to good use. I want it to go to a good home and raise money for a worthy cause in the process," he said. The cash will go to The University Hospitals of Leicester, The University of Leicester Research Centre, County Air Ambulance and various other charities.

We would like to thank the Humpster for giving up his valuable time to talk to us and reminisce about his long and glittering career. Incidentally, Engelbert still performs an average of 140 shows a year and we wish him every success on his forthcoming concert tour in America. It goes to prove that his Last Waltz is still a long way off!

Reporting team: Angela Banh & John Doherty
Location photography: Stan Thompson
Additional material: Len Stout & Barry Monks

© 2006 Regtransfers.co.uk

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