He was the first person to approach the drums with the so called
"Open-handed" (ambidextrous) style of playing the drums. He started
playing with this technique when he was only 15 years old (1959).
Even though a right-handed person, he can play the drums as if he was
ambidextrous.
He recorded music for the advertisements of Shaft (1971), which was for a
special promotion while being in New York.
Was voted as the best over-all drummer in 1987 by the Modern Drummer
magazine.
Inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in 2006.
Works actively with two bands called Billy Cobham's Culturemix,
and Billy Cobham's Spectrum Band. (2005)
Now shares his home at New York and Switzerland. (2005)
Phil Collins states Cobham as one of his earliest influences as a drummer.