Gravel, guts, glory and gravitas are all on the menu when you order Steve Black for your voice over. A a first class voiceover talent, Steve's voice brings one-of-a-kind flair to commercials, narrations, documentaries, promos and audio books.

Please visit www.firstclassvoiceovers.com

"First, to set the record straight ... That thing in Cairo in '81? Not me. He just sort of sounded like me, I swear. Jacksonville in '84, Amsterdam in '85? Again, not me. Well maybe that last one, but that will remain classified for ... well ... forever.

Who knew a voice could be a weapon? Go figure. People a whole lot smarter than I figured that out and I just followed orders.

I read for a living now. Yes, you heard right. I read, aloud. After all, it was always about the voice. I might as well make an honest buck with it after all that other crap. I still work alone, but now it's a simple, quiet occupation. All of the characters, the action, and most of the drama are not actual but perceived. In this age of the internet it's all text & voice...my clients & friends know me by voice. Simple. Peaceful. It suits me.

So, about the voice ... gritty, gruff, rugged, smokey. I really can't take any credit for it. It's a God thing. When I was a kid, the old man insisted we read the Bible aloud, every night after dinner ...King James version ...or in French when we lived in Orleans or German during his assignment in Berlin. We didn't have to understand it, but we sure as hell had to get pronunciation, tone and inflection down.

Dad was an outstanding no-nonsense company man for hire by day ... the consistent cultured gentleman ... and a sort of macho maverick hell-fire-and-brimstone preacher evenings & weekends. He held me to some high standards in conduct and demeanor.

Then God Himself smote me ( at 11 years old ) with screwed-up vocal chords. Virtually overnight my voice turned to pure gravel. Heavy. Like 80 proof whiskey over crushed granite. Brash overtones and ballsy undertones. I sounded by turns like a crusty old curmudgeon or some sinister villain in the shadows. And this coming out of a young kid. Downright scary. But it would blow out in minutes, fading to a hoarse raspy whisper, then silence. The doctor said either I shut up for a year or he'd have to cut into my vocal chords, with unpredictable results. Scared the crap out of me. So I shut up for a year. Completely. I read a lot. Mostly mythology. Interesting year.

The voice survived and healed, but always and ever since with a certain unusual quality and strength that exudes gravitas and believability. Although both the voice and I have mellowed some with the years, when applied a certain way in certain circumstances, it can be downright dangerous. For now, I'm content to read others' writing, and do it well.

A picture, some say, is worth a thousand words. Conversely, a few words well spoken can paint an indelible image in the mind of the listener. A voice can shape and change their world. Use it wisely and with care."

VOX GRAVITAS

Languages

English (North American)

Ages

Middle Aged