For the record
During his more than 60 years in the local music industry, ‘Uncle’ Ray Cordeiro has interviewed a host of legendary musicians. Oliver Chou meets the world’s most enduring DJ.
“Yes to Ray Cordeiro ...
My thanks for playing the songs I sing
In times of change, it’s nice to know
We can depend upon your show
To stay in touch
Thank you guy so much
For sharing your way.”
(To the tune of My Way).
So sang Paul Anka in lyrics he crafted for 'Uncle Ray' as he, on behalf of RTHK, presented the veteran broadcaster with a lifetime achievement award in 1997.
'That's beautiful, isn't it?' says the world's 'most durable radio DJ', an honour the Guinness World Records conferred on him in 2000, for 51 years of airtime.
'That was 12 years ago, and I am breaking the world record every night with my show,' adds the presenter, referring to his time-honoured night programme All the Way with Ray.
To call Uncle Ray a DJ is somewhat of an understatement. His accolades go far beyond medals and awards, which include an MBE presented by Queen Elizabeth in 1987, a Bronze Bauhinia Star in 2008 and, last month, an honorary fellowship at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.
Besides being a broadcaster, Cordeiro is, or has been, a jazz musician (a drummer in a trio), a singer (with a solo 45 rpm version of Proud Mary), a journalist (freelancing for Billboard), an actor (starring in 1975's The Last Message), a collector (owning more than 30,000 vinyl records, including many autographed copies), an impresario (having discovered Matt Monro and Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing), a cultural ambassador to the 1970 World Expo in Osaka and, perhaps most of all, a walking encyclopaedia of music in Hong Kong.
