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Reinaldo Maria Cordeiro aka "Uncle Ray" here in a photo from 2021: A radio legend
Photo:
KY Cheng / ZUMA Wire / IMAGO
After a radio career of more than 70 years, a presenter who was listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the "most persistent DJ in the world" has died.
Reinaldo Maria Cordeiro was 98 years old, his fans knew him as "Uncle Ray".
Cordeiro died in Hong Kong on Friday surrounded by family and friends who sang "You'll Never Walk Alone" in farewell.
This was announced on Saturday by a committee organizing his funeral.
Culture Minister Kevin Yeung paid tribute to the deceased as "Uncle Ray" made "important contributions to the Hong Kong music scene".
Cordeiro promoted the careers of many local musicians and introduced generations of radio listeners to popular music trends through his broadcasts.
In his more than 70 years in broadcasting, he has interviewed numerous stars such as Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra, as well as bands such as the Bee Gees and the Beatles.
»All The Way With Ray« – a long-distance runner
Cordeiro was born in Hong Kong in 1924 to a family of Portuguese immigrants.
He first worked as a prison guard and bank clerk before getting his first job in radio in 1949.
According to his website, he was first an author there, then a DJ.
In 1960 he joined Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) and ten years later started the late-night program All The Way With Ray, which ran there for 51 years.
In 2000, the Guinness Book named him "the world's most persistent DJ".
»Uncle Ray« only retired in 2021.
mbo/AFP