At 66, the newly knighted singer remains a formidable force of nature, with an appeal that spans as many generations as his undimmed vocal prowess.

But in this two-hour battle between totalitarian kitsch and soulful sincerity, the singer's inherent likeability and undimmed vocal prowess ultimately won the day.

Now, four alumni joined them as soloists, each one testimony to the vocal prowess fostered by those institutions.

He had never taken vocal lessons, but his vocal prowess gained him attention in the local scene.

The band were immediately impressed by his vocal prowess.