A South African-born singer with a croon as cozy as corduroy, Howard Carpendale became a schlager star in Germany, with albums balancing homegrown ballads, remakes of Western pop hits and lyrics visiting places around the globe. Between singing about Istanbul, Johannesburg, New Mexico and San Francisco, he has covered songs by Otis Redding, Charlie Rich, Lionel Richie and Elton John. He's also known for the occasional beer-party oompah or psychedelic garage rocker—in one early hit he was backed by Shaft-style wah-wah—and has frequently paid homage to Elvis Presley.