World’s oldest DJ, Uncle Ray Cordeiro, dies at 98

Rey Cordeiro, a staple of Hong Kong’s music scene for 70 years, died Friday at the age of 98.

His funeral committee said Saturday local time that Cordeiro, whose full name is Raimundo Maria Cordeiro but better known as ‘Uncle Ray’, died Friday at Hong Kong’s CUHK Medical Center. A cause of death was not disclosed, but the commission said friends and family sent him off with a version of “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

Born December 12, 1924, Cordeiro worked as a prison guard and bank teller before in 1949 he began his broadcasting career with Radio Rediffusion. In 1960, he became head of Radio Hong Kong, later RTHK’s light music department. Cordeiro will be presenting RTHK until 2021.

In 2000 he won the Guinness World Record as the most consistent DJ in the world. His show All the Way with Ray on RTHK ran almost continuously from 1970 until May 2021.

The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Cliff His early interviews with Richard were notable, and his contributions were recognized by Elvis Presley His Enterprise. truck.

Cordeiro was awarded the Hong Kong Silver He Bauhinia Star last year. Other awards include an MBE in 1987, an Honorary Fellowship from the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts in 2012 and an Honorary Doctorate in Social Sciences from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2022. RTHK presented Cordeiro with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997.

“Dr. Cordeiro (Uncle Ray) has made significant contributions to the broadcasting industry over the past 70 years and is highly regarded in the industry. We would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Cordeiro, the acclaimed host of Way with Ray. We miss him dearly,” said Algernon Yau, Hong Kong’s Minister of Trade and Economic Development.

“Uncle Lei has led us to appreciate music for decades with his deep expertise, breadth of experience and gentle voice. He is a prominent figure in Hong Kong popular culture. He was a kind senior who made a great contribution to Hong Kong’s music scene. We will mourn his passing and will remember him fondly,” said Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yang.

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