| Herbie Hancock Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 7 in |
| Weight | 75 kg |
| Date of Birth | April 12, 1940 |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries |
| Spouse | Gigi Hancock |
Herbie Hancock is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer who is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the post-bop sound, a genre of small-combo jazz that had evolved in the early and mid-1960s. In a career spanning more than 5 decades, he has released more than 35 albums and has won 14 Grammy Awards, as of October 2021. In 1986, he had won an Academy Award in the category of ‘Best Original Score’, for the film Round Midnight. He was awarded a ‘Star’ on the ‘Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording’ in September 1994. He was inducted into the ‘Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame’ in 1995.
Born Name
Herbert Jeffrey Hancock
Nick Name
Herbie
Sun Sign
Aries
Born Place
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Residence
Los Angeles, California, United States
Nationality
Education
Herbie had attended Hyde Park High School, a public school in his hometown of Chicago. After his high school graduation, he had joined Grinnell College, a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa. He had graduated from there in 1960 with degrees in electrical engineering and music.
He had later taken some courses at Roosevelt University, a private university in Chicago.
Occupation
Jazz Pianist, Keyboardist, Bandleader, Composer
Family
- Father – Wayman Edward Hancock (Government Meat Inspector) (d. June 4, 2001)
- Mother – Winnie Belle Hancock (née Griffin) (Former Secretary)
- Siblings – Jean Hancock (Sister) (Computer Analyst, Lyricist) (d. August 2, 1985), Wayman Hancock, Jr. (Brother)
Genre
Jazz, Post-Bop, Modal Jazz, Fusion, Jazz-Funk, Electro, Classical
Instruments
Keyboards, Piano
Labels
- Columbia Records
- Blue Note Records
- Warner Records Inc.
- Verve Records
Net Worth
Herbie Hancock’s net worth had been $12 million according to CelebrityNetWorth.com.
Build
Average
Height
5 ft 7 in or 170 cm
Weight
75 kg or 165.5 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Herbie has dated –
- Gigi Hancock (1968-Present) – Herbie had married Gigi Hancock (née Meixner) on August 31, 1968. They have a daughter together named Jessica Hancock (b. 1970).
Race / Ethnicity
Black
He is of African-American descent.
Hair Color
Black
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Mildly stocky frame
- Short-cropped hair
- Bespectacled
- Affable smile
- Clean-shaven look
Religion
Nichiren Buddhism
Brand Endorsements
He had been featured in a TV commercial for the American multinational restaurant chain Pizza Hut, in 1985.
Herbie Hancock Facts
- He was named after the singer, songwriter, and actor Herb Jeffries.
- A child prodigy, his parents had identified his talent early and had enrolled him in an institution that taught classical music when he was 7 years old.
- At the age of 11, in February 1952, he had played the first movement of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 26 in D Major, K. 537 (Coronation) at a young people’s concert with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
- His alma mater, Grinnell College, had awarded him an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree in 1972, just 12 years after he had graduated from there.
- His 2007 album titled, River: The Joni Letters, a tribute to the legendary Canadian singer-songwriter and painter Joni Mitchell, had won the 2008 Grammy Award for ‘Album of the Year’. This was just the 2nd jazz album to achieve this feat after Getz/Gilberto had won in 1965.
- In 2012, he had been appointed as a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he had taught at the Herb Alpert School of Music.
- His book, titled Possibilities, was published in 2014.
Featured Image by Herbie Hancock / Instagram
