AFTER more than seven decades in radio, a 96-year-old Hong Kong DJ bid farewell to his listeners Saturday with “Time to Say Goodbye,” sung by Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli.

“Well that’s it. Thank you very much for tuning in, goodbye, thank you for coming,” Ray Cordeiro said in both English and Cantonese before signing off ahead of the 1 a.m. news.

It was the coda to a radio career that began 72 years ago, and a more than 50-year run for his show “All the Way With Ray.”

In 2000, the Guinness Book of World Records acknowledged Cordeiro as “The World’s Most Durable DJ.”

Affectionately called “Uncle Ray,” Cordeiro is known for his deep, calm voice, trademark flat cap, and easy listening repertoire. For his last show, he spun a variety of tunes from the Carpenters, Perry Como and Louis Armstrong, among others. He was born in Hong Kong of Portuguese descent.

“I think I’m the luckiest man in the world,” he said in an interview with RTHK last week. “To do what I want to do, to love what I want to love, and I don’t think I have any regrets.”

Uncle Ray was born in Hong Kong in 1924, and has devoted his life to the development of local radio broadcasting and music.

He hosted his first show, “Progressive Jazz”, on Rediffusion in 1949.

Cordeiro joined RTHK as Head of Light Music in 1960, and started his “All the Way With Ray” in 1970.

Besides nurturing local young musicians like Joe Junior, Teddy Robin and The Playboys and Sam Hui and the Lotus, Uncle Ray also interviewed global pop stars such as the Beatles, Cliff Richard and Tony Bennett.(SD-Agencies)