Every good barber has tall tales to tell. But in the case of Albert Cornejo, the winding and often grandiose stories are actually true. That's because Cornejo is not only a barber, he's a renowned sculptor and one of the most-awarded martial artists in the world today.
To those that know him, Cornejo is a living legend ? but most of us never have heard of him. And because of the unique path he has chosen, most of us never will.
?If I do something, I have to be good at it,? Cornejo told Yahoo in a series of interviews as part of our Viewfinder video series. ?But I never wanted the spotlight. For me, it is all about the passion and the work.?
By day, 73-year-old Cornejo cuts hair at his modest barbershop tucked away inside a Santa Monica business park. A mixture of clients and social calls blend together as the day winds on, often interviewing as Cornejo holds court with a truly unique collection of personalities.
But it?s the barber himself who has the most interesting stories to tell.
Even with his laid back demeanor, riding into the sunset does not come naturally to a man who spent decades practicing Kenpo Karate on the shores of the Pacific Ocean until sunrise.
In the early 1960?s, Cornejo was, in his words, ?a poor Mexican kid? who wanted to learn how to fight. He wandered into a Kenpo Karate school owned by legendary founder Ed Parker, the man who singlehandedly brought Karate to the United States.
After just one session, Albert knew he had found his calling. But he was too poor to afford the lessons. But Parker saw something in Cornejo and offered to teach him for free. That act of generosity has stayed with Cornejo over the years.
As he has risen through the ranks to become one of the most decorated Kenpo Karate students in history, he has trained literally thousands of students over the past five decades and rarely asks for financial compensation.
The same ethic has carried over into his other pursuits.
After Karate, Cornejo?s second love is art. His sculptures have represented the U.S. at the World?s Fair but Cornejo has refused to ever sell one of his works for money. His most impressive creation, a life-sized horse carriage hand-crafted from bronze metal, rests under a sheet on the back porch of Cornejo?s small house.
Back when Cornejo was in the Army, he learned to cut hair. And that?s how he continues to earn a paycheck to this day. Over the years, he has been the personal barber to Hollywood celebrities and politicians, including former President Ronald Reagan.
It was Kenpo that brought Cornejo into contact with many of his celebrity clients, which also included Red Buttons , Jack Dempsey, Lou Ferrigno, Bruce Lee, Stan Laurel, and Lawrence Welk.
Technically, Cornejo even cut Elvis Presley?s hair once. But as he explains, that was a literal exercise not an ongoing relationship.
?Ed Parker brought Mr. Presely into my barbershop one day,? Cornejo said. ?And I told him, ?Mr. Presley, just please let me cut one hair off your head. Then, I can tell people I cut Elvis? hair!??
Today, most of Cornejo?s legacy is relegated to the framed photographs chronicling Cornejo?s previous brushes with fame. The dust gathering on the pictures serves as a reminder that the cost of Cornejo?s modesty and generosity is that he has been largely forgotten.
But in late January, Cornejo received recognition from the Kenpo community that has been a part of his life for more than 50 years when he was awarded with a 10th degree black belt, a true rarity in the martial arts community.
?Almost no one get s a 10th degree anymore,? martial arts instructor and filmmaker Dino Vicencio told Yahoo. ?It?s a pretty rare thing these days.?
The Kenpo community, including other living legends like Chuck Sullivan and Robert Temple, have tried to bestow the honor on Cornejo for a number of years, but he had always declined out of modesty.
?It?s embarrassing,? he said. ?To get up and have everyone cheering for you.?
Still, for a man who has so often avoided the spotlight over the years, it will be a fitting reward for a life focused on becoming the very best at what he does and using that knowledge to help others.
And when the sun rises the next morning, Cornejo is back to his little barbershop, trading stories with friends, clients and random people passing by his shop. Everyone is a potential new friend to Cornejo. Coming into his circle means you become part of the ongoing epic story that is Albert Cornejo. And with any luck, his own tale will be one that survives beyond the man hundreds have come to know as ?Sifu.?
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