bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Jo Bowman

Late-night radio legend 'Uncle Ray' Cordeiro is flying to the home of rock 'n' roll this month to receive a gong for his decades of support for Elvis Presley.

The veteran Radio 3 presenter and avid Elvis fan is to be honoured at Graceland - Elvis' home in Memphis, Tennessee - during Elvis Week 2001.

'This is very exciting for me. I've been recognised by the Queen, and now this from the King,' Cordeiro, 76, said.

He was awarded an MBE in 1987, and last year entered the Guinness Book of Records  as the world's longest-serving DJ after 51 years in the business.

'I've never been to Graceland before, even though I've been a fan and a DJ for all these years,' he said. 'I'm a very, very big fan of Elvis. I've been a fan since Heartbreak Hotel. '

The head of Elvis Presley Enterprises will present Cordeiro with a plaque recognising his backing of Elvis Presley's music, the Hong Kong Elvis fan club, and more than 50 years of excellence in broadcasting.

Elvis songs - including Cordeiro's favourite, Home is Where the Heart is  - often feature on his midnight show.

Tommy Ooi, president of the International Elvis Presley Fan Club's Hong Kong branch, said 'Uncle Ray' had worked tirelessly in support of Elvis and to unite local fans.

'About 33 years ago, there were too many Elvis Presley fan clubs in Hong Kong. It was Uncle Ray who gathered all the presidents together and asked them all to work together in promoting Elvis Presley and his music in Hong Kong,' Mr Ooi said.

'On May 1, 1968, the International Elvis Presley Fan Club of Hong Kong was established. We are now in our 33rd year and we are still going strong, if not still growing.'

The club now has about 500 members.

Mr Ooi and 14 members of the club will travel with Cordeiro to Graceland. His plaque will be presented at a luncheon for the presidents of Elvis fan clubs from around the world on August 14.

The following evening, they will join a candlelit vigil ahead of the 24th anniversary of Elvis' death, on August 16.

Cordeiro has been with RTHK since 1960, when he was hired as the head of light music. His late-night show All the Way with Ray has been running since 1970.



Elvis fan club king Uncle Ray goes all the way - to Graceland