She might not be as well known as Mick Jagger or Tina Turner, but eighty-nine year old Bobbi de Córdova-Hanks is a rock star in her own right — and for more reasons than being a musician. Born in Brooklyn, de Córdova-Hanks was a professional musician at age 16. She played violin in the school orchestra until the music director approached her about switching to upright bass. Never one to turn down a challenge, she accepted the offer and soon found herself playing Carnegie Hall as part of the group Phil Spitalny and his All-Girl Orchestra, even making appearances on Arthur Godfrey’s and Ed Sullivan’s shows.
Eventually, she switched genres to rock and toured with a number of bands including Goldie and the Gingerbreads before returning to her Spanish roots and performing with Latin bands — from Europe to South America — including stints on cruise ships. When she wasn’t on the road and living in Miami, she was still living on the water in a forty-four foot Chris Craft, which she used to “drive” to work at the Doral Resort when she had a gig.
After more than two decades of solid touring and playing, de Córdova-Hanks finally “retired” from the music business and found work as a writer and editor. She continued to work in publishing and was perfectly content to stay in Miami … until she encountered Jerry Hanks.
At the time, she served as managing editor for “Florida Restaurateur” magazine and at one point locked horns with an agency over an ad. “We [Jerry and I] met over the phone and argued back and forth like two attorneys for nine months,” she recalled. “He said if we ever settled this we would have to have a drink.”
The two met in person in Cocoa Beach, and from then on, spent their weekends traveling back and forth between Miami and Jacksonville. It wasn’t long before they tied the knot and de Córdova-Hanks moved to the River City.
Surviving Breast Cancer and Rocking Through Life with her Bass Guitar
And then everything changed: In 1986 de Córdova-Hanks found a lump in her breast. “I remember the doctor sitting in his office. He said, ‘It doesn’t look good. It’s malignant, and it’s very late stage cancer.’” Then he left her with this: “The probability of you living five years is not too good.”
Even in the face of her own mortality, she still managed to show off her trademark spunk, telling the doctor, “I’m too busy to die. And no other woman is going to wear my jewelry.” It wouldn’t be the only time she’d face a cancer diagnosis (and a life-threatening battle with sepsis). “I’ve been on death’s door so many times,” she said. “But I told God after the first time I had cancer, I promise you, if you give me your grace and let me live, every day for the rest of my life, I will talk about cancer.”
Not only did de Córdova-Hanks keep her promise but she also decided it was time for Jacksonville to have a breast cancer support group. And thus, Bosom Buddies was born. While the main draw was its support groups (“We needed something where we could get together and share experiences and benefit from each other,” she said), Bosom Buddies went above and beyond to help breast cancer survivors and their families. They provided wigs, bras, prosthetics, a buddy to go to the doctor with … and never charged a penny. While de Córdova-Hanks has since retired, Bosom Buddies still lives on at the Women’s Center of Jacksonville.
Over the years, de Córdova-Hanks became a wellrespected champion for all things breast cancer, serving as a member of the National Coalition of Cancer Survivorship and the International Cancer Council. (She also ran for Florida State Senator, but that’s another story.) And she and Jerry cowrote a book, “Tears of Joy,” about her diagnoses and his role as a caretaker, which took them on a tour around the country spreading the word of compassion, hope and acceptance to survivors and their families. (Sadly, Jerry died several years ago, but his memory will live on in his fearless and funny rockstar wife.)
These days de Córdova-Hanks lives with her sister Adrienne, who Bobbi is thrilled to have as her own personal chef. They love watching Netflix, listening to music (of course), and Bobbi still speaks on breast cancer-related issues. And word has it she has her eye on an amp to go with her old electric bass.
