“The salesman saw a shabby-looking Black guy. He didn’t treat me like a customer.” Hancock admits he bought the 260-cubic-inch Cobra out of spite. “If he hadn’t pissed me off, I probably wouldn’t have bought it!”
I’m a huge fan of jazz and the great jazz pianist, Herbie Hancock. Just old enough to recognize my budding interests in the music genre, the Miles Davis quintet and others, took me through college. Herbie was occasionally part of his group, dropping in and out occasionally, playing the keyboards and making wonderful music. During all that work at the piano, he never had time, or the money, to buy a car.
“Watermelon Man” Herbie’s first hit way back in the 60’s, gave him a very well deserved payday, and on that day in 1963, Hancock wanted to buy himself a gift to celebrate his early success. He want to buy a car. He didn’t buy just any car, but a small block 260 Cobra, a car that he still owns today. That fact qualifies Mr. Hancock as the longest continuous original owner of a Cobra.
In a wonderful interview done by Hagerty Media, jazz legend Herbie Hancock talks to Hagerty Media about how he became the longest continuous owner of one of Carroll Shelby’s Cobras, and how two legends united.
Not a member of the Hagerty Driver’s Club? You should be, as they are dedicated to “Making the experience of owning, driving and loving cars even better…”
