MANY were surprised that veteran Engelbert Humperdink was chosen to represent the United Kingdom in Eurovision a couple of years ago, ultimately achieving a shockingly lowly second to bottom placing.

Perhaps more surprising is the fact that the 77-year-old crooner is back on top form with a hit album and a high-rotation Radio 2 hit in 2014. Since I Lost My Baby, Engelbert’s duet with Sir Cliff Richard is perhaps the strongest song from either act in quite a long while.

Including Cliff and Mr Humperdink, six acts on Engelbert Calling have the Eurovision tag, including Olivia Newton-John, Lulu and Sir Elton John (as a writer). Englebert’s other guests are mostly established Vegas acts, some with a country flavour such as Kenny Rogers and Shelby Lynne or vintage soul survivors such as Johnny Mathis, Dionne Warwick and Smokey Robinson, or new kids such as Beverley Knight and Il Divo.

Gene Simmons from Kiss may be the surprise act turning in a rather swish Spinning Wheel. Interestingly, Louise and Bradley Dorsey, both duet respectively with their old man on covers of Better and Father and Son. But probably the highlight of the double CD package is Mr H’s duet with Lulu, on a cover of Lady Antebellum’s I Need you Now.