A Hong Kong DJ who broadcast for 6 decades has died at the age of 98

Ray Cordeiro, who interviewed music acts including The Beatles during a six-decade career on Hong Kong radio that earned him the title of world’s longest-serving disc jockey, has died, his former employer has announced. He was 98.

Cordeiro died on Friday, according to Radio Television Hong Kong, where he worked until 2021. The cause of death was not given.

Born in Hong Kong in 1924, Cordeiro of Portuguese descent was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s longest-serving DJ.

He joined Hong Kong Public Broadcasting in 1960 after working as a prison warden and bank clerk. His easy listening music show All the Way With Ray ran on RTHK Radio 3 for 51 years until his retirement.

“Viewers followed me, grew with me, and now they are all over the world.” Cordeiro told the Associated Press in 2021 after retirement. “They were listening to me on the Internet anyway.”

In 1964, after training in London at the British Broadcasting Corp. Cordeiro interviewed The Beatles, the biggest music group in the world at the time. He said John Lennon talked about their early days in Hamburg, Germany, where they lived in relative poverty and played in clubs.

Cordeiro said that all four members of the Beatles signed him on the cover of the magazine.

“It’s probably worth a fortune,” he said.

The broadcast of the Beatles interview on Hong Kong radio made Cordeira a celebrity. He also interviewed other stars and met Elton John and Tony Bennett.