This Raleigh County native was known for blending country and blues. His music was strongly influenced by African American blues he'd learned in the southern coalfields. He played slide guitar and harmonica. He worked in the coal mines before moving to Ohio in 1932.

Between 1926 and 1929, he recorded 32 songs, including early versions of "John Henry" and "The Train That Carried My Girl from Town." His song "Coney Isle" was later reworked into the hit "Alabam." Hutchison’s music influenced artists such as Bob Dylan and Doc Watson, but he died before his music gained this new popularity. He was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2018.