• April 12, 1940
• Herbie Hancock was born in Chicago, Illinois and quickly became a child prodigy. He began playing classical piano at age 7 and at age 11 he performed the first movement of Mozart's "Piano Concerto No. 5" at a concert with the Chicago Symphony.
• In 1963, Herbie Hancock became a well-known performer when he joined Miles Davis' Second Great Quintet. Hancock soon became a regular recording artist on the Blue Note label, appearing on records by notable artists like Tony Williams, Bobby Hutcherson, and Grant Green.
• In 1968, Hancock was let go from Miles Davis' group because he had allegedly returned late from his honeymoon in Brazil. Although he was fired from Davis' touring band, Hancock still appeared on many of the jazz great's later albums, including In a Silent Way and On the Corner.
• In 1983, Herbie Hancock scored his first breakthrough hit with "Rockit," a song that many recognize as the first single ever to feature scratching. The video for the song was a hit as well, winning 5 trophies at MTV's inaugural Video Awards in 1984.
• Most Rap/R&B fans don't know that Herbie Hancock helped Kanye West produce the track "Robocop" from his 2008 album 808s and Heartbreak. Hancock is not credited in the album's liner notes.
• In 2007, Herbie Hancock released his 47th studio album entitled River: The Joni Letters. The album was meant as a tribute and homage to longtime friend and fellow musician Joni Mitchell. Guest vocalists on the album included Leonard Cohen, Tina Turner, Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae, Luciana Souza, and Mitchell herself. In February 2008, the disc beat out Amy Winehouse, Foo Fighters, Vince Gill, and Kanye West to win the Album of the Year award at the 50th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. It was the first jazz album to win the award in over four decades and only the second in the award's history.

Comments

More Songfacts:

SongbirdKenny G

The Kenny G instrumental "Songbird" owes much of its success to VH1, which launched a year earlier and played the video to death.

My Ding-a-LingChuck Berry

Chuck Berry's only #1 hit was "My Ding-a-Ling," a novelty song about a boy and his... you know.

WomanizerBritney Spears

"Womanizer" was Britney Spears' comeback song, going to #1 about 10 months after she was institutionalized to get treatment for addictions and mental health issues.

Put Your Records OnCorinne Bailey Rae

Corinne Bailey Rae's 2006 hit "Put Your Records On" borrows the opening line ("Three little birds sat on my window") from the Bob Marley song "Three Little Birds." Both songs have the same message: Don't worry, because every little thing's going to be alright.

Streets Of PhiladelphiaBruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen's "Streets Of Philadelphia" won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 1994, beating out Neil Young's "Philadelphia," which was also written for the movie Philadelphia.

Groove Is in the HeartDeee-Lite

One of the last hits with a track made up almost entirely of uncleared samples is "Groove Is In The Heart" by Deee-Lite in 1990. Soon after, courts ruled that samples needed to be cleared.

Editor's Picks

Chris Frantz of Talking HeadsSongwriter Interviews

Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz on where the term "new wave" originated, the story of "Naive Melody," and why they never recorded another cover song after "Take Me To The River."

Benny MardonesSongwriter Interviews

His song "Into The Night" is one of the most-played of all time. For Benny, it took him to hell and back.

Psychedelic LyricsMusic Quiz

Whoa man! Do you know which band came up with these cosmic lyrics?

Dar WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

A popular contemporary folk singer, Williams still remembers the sticky note that changed her life in college.

Tony Banks of GenesisSongwriter Interviews

Genesis' key-man re-examines his solo career and the early days of music video.

Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt On How To Create A Music SceneSong Writing

With $50 and a glue stick, Bruce Pavitt created Sub Pop, a fanzine-turned-label that gave the world Nirvana and grunge. He explains how motivated individuals can shift culture.