Michael was born the 3rd son to transplanted Cajuns in the "Sooner" state of Oklahoma. 

When he was 5, twin Western Auto record players, an old PA mic, and an active imagination prepared him for his dream...to be just like his idol, his big brother. 

At the age of 16, local radio called.  Two years later (literally hours after his high school graduation), Texas radio called (KTRN-Wichita Falls, featured in the film "The Last Picture Show"). Then, while attending the University of Oklahoma, 3 Oklahoma City radio stations called. Michael chose legendary Top 40 AM powerhouse KOMA, the same station his hero-brother worked at ten years earlier. 

Thirty-three states and  a couple of foreign countries later, Denver, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Indiana's Fairbanks
Broadcasting called. At the first FM rocker east of the Mississippi, Indianapolis'  WNAP-The Buzzard, Michael's "Buster Bodine" character was born (as his mentor-brother worked on-air down the hall at sister station WIBC-AM). It is in the great American Midwest that Michael's VOiceover career began, which included a very unique local :60 TV spot for bank-chain American Fletcher National Bank's involvement in Hoosier basketball hysteria. Michael's calm VOiceover was heard as a high-energy high school basketball game was staged using literally hundreds of extras! (One particularly difficult shot featured the ball spinning around the hoop multiple times as Michael's tag line read: "...hangs in the balance"). That homegrown commercial won the U.S Television NATIONAL CLIO AWARD for Cinematography in 1981, defeating many well known national ad campaigns with huge budgets and network exposure. (Funny thing, Michael's big brother was originally booked for that VOiceover session, but had contracted the flu!)

Next stop, morning show and Program Director duties at San
Diego album-rocker KPRI-FM. After taking the station from 8th to 3rd (beating longtime ratings leader KGB-FM in 1982),
Michael decided to quit the radio business on a high note and try the VOiceover game full-time. After signing a top L.A. agent, Michael moved his pregnant wife and young daughter up the street from Michael Jackson's family mansion in Encino and has never looked back. (However, weekends at Power 106 and mornings at Westwood One were two weaknesses that Michael's radio bug just couldn't resist!)

Over the years, Michael has competed with Hollywood's best. From Chuck Riley to Ernie Anderson to Don LaFontaine. And has worked for the best. From Bert Berdis to Stanley Kubrick to the NBC Peacock. From national TV ad campaigns, (including a :30 TV spot on permanent display for advertising at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC! Click for UGLY DUCKLING Car Sales QUICKTIME MOVIE "Breakdown"), to the signature VOice of major market radio stations, to corporate narrations, from Hollywood movie trailers, to syndicated TV promos, to late night infomercials, Michael D. Hanks' versatility continues to serve his career well.

(No, Michael is not related to Tom Hanks, but his brother is Chuck Riley, who, like Tom, also has a son named Colin Hanks!)