WRITTEN BY EMERI FETZER
A few months ago, Gordon and Connie Hanks’ landline rang. They didn’t recognize the number, but on the other end they found the warm, familiar voice of a U student they had supported with a scholarship 27 years ago.
After all this time, this recipient was calling to share that he had gone on to become a senior executive at a major company, and to relay his gratitude for the role the Hanks played in getting him there. They were filled with emotion.
“We are passionate about scholarships,” Connie said. “It is an investment in the future — planting a seed that will grow into wonderful things, wonderful human beings that understand the world and how to navigate it.”
“We get so much more out of it than what we give financially,” Gordon emphasized. “We develop great relationships with students. A lot of them have become like family.”
Many of these students come from the College of Fine Arts, where the Hanks have been stalwart supporters of scholarships for as long as they can remember. They believe if there is one thing as crucial as student success, it’s the arts.
“From the beginning of time, the arts have enriched our culture and society and united us. They are an avenue where we express our deepest emotions, no matter which form,” Connie said.
“And we just have this gem in the arts at the university. We're so fortunate to have such great venues — Libby Gardner Hall, Kingsbury Hall, Pioneer Theatre Company…and every one of the schools in the College has this incredible passion about developing and loving the arts,” Gordon added.
When it comes to the business of performance, the Hanks have a uniquely qualified perspective, which makes their partnership with U Arts even more dynamic.
They are the founders of JazzSLC, a series that brought world-class jazz musicians to our own backyard for nearly three decades. This year, they partnered with UtahPresents to launch Jazz at Kingsbury Hall, which will steward the next era of local jazz performances. The series — featuring Delfeayo Marsalis, Hot House West Swing Orchestra, and Christian McBride — packed the hall with loyal and new patrons alike.
From booking musicians, working with agents and contracts, and producing 250+ performances, the couple has learned simple things that make or break an artist’s success.
“Number one: Know your music. Practice, practice, practice,” Gordon said. “Number two: Connect with the audience. It's incredibly important for anyone in the arts, whether it's dance, music, theater — all artists must realize when I come on stage, I have to give my art, my heart and my soul.”
They say the U is getting it right, particularly in the Jazz Studies program in the School of Music.
“They're doing everything terrifically well with the specifics of learning how to play an instrument,” he said. “But they’re not just teaching kids to play instruments. They’re teaching them to go out in the community and share their art form, present themselves onstage well, engage with the audience, and perhaps most importantly, get gigs and develop a following.”
Gordon knows the X factor when he sees it. In 2022, he saw a YouTube video of a jazz singer and tracked down her agent to pursue an engagement with JazzSLC. When her agent told him the fee, Gordon offered to double it. “I said, ‘I know she’s going to be a megastar. And in a few years, I want her back in my series,” he recounted.
That artist was Samara Joy, who won three Grammy Awards the following year.
In this, and so many other stories, the Hanks’ utmost respect for the artist’s journey is evident — including all the work that goes unseen along the way.
“We forget the backstory of kids in music, dance, art, or in film. You’re not just seeing a 2-hour concert, you’re seeing the endless hours of practice over the years it took to get there,” Gordon said.
It is precisely those years, in the College of Fine Arts, that they are making a little brighter, a little easier, with their support.
“We believe in giving students that chance to grow their talent,” Connie said. “It could change their lives forever.”
