A Message to Remember
In the late 1960s, just as Engelbert Humperdinck was rising to fame with “Release Me,” he received a private message from Elvis Presley. It wasn’t a publicity stunt, nor a casual mention in the press—it was a direct acknowledgment from one legend to another.
The Story Behind the Praise
Released in 1967, “Release Me” quickly became a worldwide phenomenon, even knocking The Beatles off the UK No. 1 spot. Elvis, always keen on following the charts, was deeply impressed. Through a mutual friend, he sent Engelbert a message: “That’s a hell of a song. You sang it the way it was meant to be sung.”
A Rare Connection
Though they didn’t meet often, Elvis and Engelbert shared a bond through producers and, most of all, through Las Vegas. Both became synonymous with the city’s dazzling nightlife. Engelbert later admitted: “Elvis made me feel accepted. If he recognized you, it meant you had reached the standard.”
More Than Music
For Engelbert, the note was validation at a time when critics dismissed him as a “one-hit wonder” or too sentimental for the rock era. Elvis’s words changed that. It meant Engelbert’s music had crossed into the realm of timeless voices.
A Moment Never Forgotten
Elvis passed in 1977, but that private message remains one of Engelbert’s most treasured memories. Every time he sings “Release Me,” he recalls not just the triumph, but also the moment Elvis affirmed his place in music history.