[5] A one-time farmer, who grew up in and lived most of his adult life around Buffalo Junction, Virginia, Hanks appeared at the Roots of American Music Festival at the Lincoln Center, shared a bill with Patti Smith, was covered by The New York Times, and performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival; plus he toured in both the US and Europe.
With it, he learned to pick out the same songs his father played in the evening, after working as a share-cropper in the tobacco fields.
[8] Hanks was a farmer for over two decades, but was also employed by Russell Stover Candies, Lenox, and later at the TOP Tobacco Factory in Oxford, North Carolina.
[4] It was issued by Music Maker, who provides regular support to various low-income blues and roots musicians.
In addition to assisting Hanks himself at that time, these veteran musicians then included Ironing Board Sam who was fitted with new prescription glasses; John Dee Holeman who needed assistance to pay for his medication; and the R&B singer Denise LaSalle who was given help to pay her mortgage.
In August of that year, Hanks performed at the 25th Annual Roots of American Music Festival, held at the Lincoln Center in New York.
[9] In 2010, the Music Maker Relief Foundation helped Hanks obtain a passport, purchased a new trailer for him and provided an allowance towards his medication and food.
[10] These included the traditional folk number "Railroad Bill", plus a version of Sticks McGhee's "Drinking Wine, Spodie Odie"[8] Another track was a version of Blind Lemon Jefferson's song, "One Dime Blues", which in the lyrics had the line "Mama, don't treat your daughter mean.