‘Every year we do a Boxing Day shoot,http://users.atw.hu/team-axone/index.php?site=forum_topic&topic=14029cheapjordanshoesfreeshipping.com/bolg,’ says Lady Carnarvon. ‘Among our gamekeepers, Eddie has been with us for 60 years and Terry for 58. It’s extraordinary; we have around 150 people for whom Highclere is the centre of their lives, from Pat our decorator and beekeeper, to Dave our electrician, who has one of my Labrador puppies. We’re joined on the shoot by people who live locally and it’s a wonderfully relaxed day. I like to put on my pheasant curry – everyone loves the extras,cheap retro jordans, such as chutney, yogurt and flatbreads, served in bowls on the table alongside the fragrant curry and rice.’

Pheasant curry

Yes. The worst time was in the Sixties. I’d worked my way up from the clubs and I had done well as a singer under the name of Gerry Dorsey, and was appearing on a television show called Song Parade. I had enough income to buy my parents a house; I was 24 at the time. But unfortunately for me I developed tuberculosis, which kept me out of the business for two years. Because I couldn’t keep up the payments on their mortgage I lost that house. It was painful.
I was in debt quite badly until I had my first hit record under the new name of Engelbert Humperdinck, a song called Release Me in 1967. I was so poor that I could barely afford any rent and had to ask for loans from Norman Newell, who was my A & R man at the time. I owed a lot in back taxes. It was a huge relief when success finally came knocking on my door. You could say Release Me released me from all my debts.
You have sold more than 150 million records in your career,http://users.atw.hu/team-axone/index.php?site=forum_topic&topic=14028cheapjordanshoesfreeshipping.com/bolg,cheap jordans for sale. Are you very wealthy?
I am not really interested in what I’m worth. In the days when I was selling a high volume of records, from 1967 to 1976, I was in a company, MAM, and all my money went into that company. A lot of my wealth was taken away from me by bad judgment. I sold all my shares in MAM and split with my manager, but I did it at the wrong time. Annoyingly for me, the shares in MAM later did very well when the company was taken over by Chrysalis. After that, I had to work hard to get myself back on track financially. It has been a tough road but I have done very well since.
Was entering the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012 a profile-raising decision or a financial one?
Mainly it was to raise my profile. [Engelbert sang Love Will Set You Free in Baku, Azerbaijan.] The people who wanted me to do it thought my standing as an artist would help in Europe,cheap jordans online,http://users.atw.hu/as-esport/index.php?site=forum_topic&topic=17399cheapjordanshoesfreeshipping.com/bolg, and by doing the show it opened doors for me. People who thought I had retired could see I was still in the game.
Of course it was a political result, not a singing contest as such. When Russian grannies can come second, and someone like me with 70 gold and 23 platinum albums barely gets a vote, well, what can you say?
Do you give regularly to charity,jordan shoes?
Yes. I’ve auctioned off some of my belongings and collections for charity. I work with the Prince’s Trust, Unicef and Air Ambulance, among others. I’m also a member of the Water Rats. It is important to give back, especially to my home town of Leicester.
Can you remember the most lucrative work you’ve done,cheap jordans? Singing at private parties?
I am sure I have. These things happen but I don’t like mentioning figures.
What was your best business decision or best buy?
Changing my name was key to my changed fortunes; it was a great career move. It was my manager at the time, Gordon Mills, who came up with the idea. It is a very difficult name to sign though.
And what has been your worst business decision?
I invested in a hotel in La Paz in Mexico in the late Eighties. I only found out that buyers needed to have a Mexican partner when purchasing property in that country afterwards, so I lost it.
Are you more of a saver or a spender,cheap real jordans?
I used to be a spender in the early days when money was starting to roll. One of the reasons I bought my UK base, which is a large mansion property with 20 stables and 25 acres in Leicestershire, was to house my car collection. I had about 11 Rolls-Royces – I used to collect cars that belonged to Princess Margaret, and the Hangman of Leicester. I have subsequently got rid of them. Now material goods don’t mean so much to me.
Are you naturally good with money or do you have to work at it?
I’ve had to work at it. My fortunes have been dependent on the people around me. For anyone getting into the business now, I’d say hire the best people you can.
What’s been the most difficult lesson you’ve learnt about money or business,cheap authentic jordans?
I think not knowing a lot about business has been very detrimental to me. There are two words here – there is “show” and there is “business” and I do the show and the business managers do the business. The business side isn’t my strength, so I work with people who are good at it, because I have lost so much money in my life.
My son now manages me, which is good, because he isn’t going to rip off his own dad. I have worked with people in the past who haven’t understood music or the industry, which wasn’t so good financially.
Do you prefer to pay by debit card, credit card or cash?
I use credit cards for keeping business records – mainly American Express. I carry maybe a couple of hundred pounds on me for tips.
Do you have a personal pension or a long-term financial strategy?
I do have a pension but I haven’t collected it yet. My plan is to continue working. If there are good deals that come along for property or business then I will consider them.
What are your financial priorities for the next five to 10 years?
To carry on. I’ve just brought out a new album of duets, and I’m happy to continue to tour while demand is there. I’ve a few more years in me yet.
Do you have a financial adviser?
Yes, I meet with one a couple of times a year.

Are you a good tipper?
Yes, I am generous with my tips. If someone gives me bad service then I will not tip as well, of course.
Do you invest in stocks and shares?
No. I sold all my shares, as mentioned earlier,Kicksokok.com, at the wrong time. It was very annoying – I was upset at the time and it was a decision I regret.
I have invested in properties and in my family. Apart from my Leicester home, I have bought houses in Atlantic City, a condominium in Hawaii and a home in LA. I’ve also bought my relatives homes and helped my siblings out with their businesses.
If there was one thing you could change about the financial world, what would it be?
I don’t feel that I can really comment on this, as I don’t really know a great deal about the financial world. Tax is a necessity and I don’t mind paying taxes as long as the rate is not too exorbitant. Back in the Sixties, my manager at the time took us to another country in order to protect the finances.
I was a tax exile early. I didn’t mean to be but the decision was taken in order to survive. The rates were 83pc tax and 15pc super tax – 98pc taxation was ridiculous.
Is there anything you don’t really like about handling money?
I used to let other people sign my cheques and have power of attorney but now I do it all myself. I found out that whatever I earned, the figures didn’t seem to tally at the end of the year.
Do you bank online?
No, someone else does that for me.
Does money make you happy?
I think money makes me content because I know that tomorrow is taken care of. Money is hard to come by, in this day and age, and I am very careful with it now.
‘Engelbert Calling’ is out now. See engelbert.com for more details