“I do so many different things that it sounds ridiculous when I try to explain a typical day,” says Cobb. “It’s just all over the place, but I love it. You have to love it to be great at it, and I’m so grateful and blessed. It’s been an amazing journey so far.” Cobb’s journey began more than a thousand miles away on the top floor of the Lyceum on the University of Mississippi campus.
my dad, who was very opposed to me being an English major, to minor in business as a compromise. I remember explaining to my dad how I was convinced that an English major was going to serve me well because it was a broad-based liberal arts education. As a manager, you don’t need any particular unique skills, but first and foremost you have to be able to communicate the artist’s vision. My degree certainly helps me do that on a daily basis.”
The Go-Go's, pictured with manager Bradford Cobb, receive a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, August 12, 2011.
“I took an aptitude test in the Lyceum that basically asks you a bunch of questions and helps you determine the best career path for you,” Cobb says. “I was struggling with what I wanted to major in at the time and didn’t have a very clear idea of what I wanted to do. The test actually told me that I should be a flight attendant.” While traveling on planes was not exactly on his radar at the time, Cobb took it all in stride and listened to the career counselor’s advice. “I learned from that test that I’m going to need to travel, interact with people and constantly be doing something different because I would get really bored if my job is a repetitive job,” he says. “Those are the things that are going to interest me and keep me focused.” As it turns out, the assessment could not have been more befitting.
Southern Roots
The son of a Mississippi Delta farmer, Cobb grew up in Tunica working alongside his father on their farm throughout high school and college. “I came from a very small town in Mississippi and didn’t really think outside of a fairly small box at that point,” he says. After graduating from the then Tunica Institute of Learning in 1992, Cobb enrolled at Ole Miss in the fall with an initial interest in medical school. “I quickly realized my heart was not into that, so I jumped from that to an English major,” says Cobb. “I made a deal with
38 Alumni Review
A member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, Cobb quickly adjusted to the thriving social scene and academic rigors for which the university is known. He counts watching David Lynch movies at the Hoka Theatre, Grove concerts, intramural basketball and football games as some of his fondest memories of Ole Miss. “I never thought of Ole Miss as a party school, and maybe I missed something, but I always thought of it as a social school, and I love that,” says Cobb. “It helps you learn how to interact with all different types of people. I found a lot of diversity at Ole Miss, and I made a lot of friends that I’m still close to today from all walks of life.” While he met many people along the way who influenced his life, Cobb is quick to credit one professor in particular who served a key role in both his education and career path. “Dr. Colby Kullman had a huge impact on me,” Cobb says. “He really helped me develop writing skills and see the bigger picture just by opening my eyes to new ideas and possibilities. You have these teachers that are willing to go the extra mile for you, and he went the extra mile for me.” After taking several courses under Kullman, Cobb asked for his assistance in writing a resume and recommendation letters for internships. “It was the summer before my senior year, and I was really kind of frantic, to be honest,” Cobb says. “I wanted to explore and try some things out before I ended up back on the farm. Dr. Kullman wrote over 60 recommendation letters for internships ranging from Jim Henson Productions in New York to the William Morris Agency in Los Angeles.”