Matt Anthony is a voice actor based in Northeast Ohio with 30 years of radio experience in markets like Washington, DC, Boston, and Atlanta.
Matt is an avid motorcyclist, amateur photographer, writer, and ” long-suffering fan of Cleveland sports teams.” He is also a craft beer aficionado, as we will find out. Matt and his wife, Donna, live in Akron.
Jeff Lynn: So, how did you get started?
Matt Anthony: The role of the ‘station image voice’ has always intrigued me. Even though I didn’t (and still don’t!) possess the pipes of a Mitch Craig, a Joe Kelly, or a Jim Cutler, I tried to emulate them. After ten years or so in ‘radio’…and already having switched to more of the ‘production’ side of things…Big Bob Payne in Concord, NH, paid me $15.00 to voice a page of liners for their Hot AC. (don’t get any ideas, folks!) I couldn’t believe that my voice was on another station as an ‘image voice.’ Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of a hundred stations or more over the past 25 years. And I’ve been fortunate enough to work in some other genres outside of ‘radio imaging,’ too.
JL: The number of people joining the voice actor roles ballooned post-COVID. How do you make sure that you stand out?
MA: Honestly, the best recipe for me has been to be myself and not be ‘something that I’m not.’ I always feel like my pseudo-super-power was to be able to offer a ‘genuine-ness’ while also being able to be a branding voice. But I feel like the field of ‘radio imaging’ became cluttered well before COVID. With a laptop, a USB microphone, and free recording software, anyone was now able to ‘have a studio.’ So, I decided to be myself, super-serve my clients, offer a multitude of ‘takes’ and a few choice outtakes, and let the chips fall.
JL: With that in mind, what advice would you give someone thinking about becoming a voice actor?
MA: I would say find a niche, pop it in 6th gear (you fellow motorcyclists will understand), and really throttle into that niche. Voice talent today, regardless of area of interest (audiobooks, commercials, narration, etc.), are hungry. If you’re not willing to put in the time, consider training or coaching, and make errors, then it may just be a way to earn a few dollars on the side. It’s not enough to ‘have a good voice.’ You have to be able to perform. It’s way too competitive not to have your ducks in a row and a game plan for how you want to succeed.
JL: What’s a normal workday like?
MA: I do a fair amount of imaging and production in addition to voice work. So, it’s a combo of all those. I have a large amount of experience in imaging spoken-word formats like Sports and News-talk. But I also really enjoy imaging the AAA format. I enjoy the music, and finding the right aural texture is tough. I also help out a non-comm station locally. But, lately, since COVID, I have really stretched out into video and video editing. It seemed like a natural extension for me, based on my years of experience. Yes, radio is still ‘theatre of the mind,’ but being able to create from a visual perspective is just another tool in the belt, I think. I love cameras, lenses, and lighting, and most of my YouTube viewing these days feature men and women who are great teachers with lots of experience. I’ve made a ton of errors so far, but I think I’m making progress. (plus, not every editor or filmmaker can also ‘voice’!)
JL: What other voice actors do you admire?
MA: As far as radio and TV branding, Jim Cutler is one of my favorites! I’ve had the luxury of working with Jim in both Atlanta and Boston, and he’s one of the best in the business. He possesses that rare gift of having exceptional pipes combined with the ability to shuffle from the dramatic to the subtle to the comedic…sometimes all in one promo! I’ve always been a fan of Ann DeWig, who I think has been one of the best working in our business for the past 20 years. Wow…. that’s a loaded question. There are so many others in multiple genres who I gravitate towards. As I said, it’s a very competitive world!
JL: Are you making use of AI? Any thoughts about it in general to share?
MA: At all levels, I have been involved in the use of AI. I’m afraid…and I’m intrigued. The ability of AI will only get better, and it’s hard to say what the extent will be on our business and on our industry. I mean, in video editing, AI has played a role for a while now. And audio is catching up. (have you seen what Artlist can do lately? Scary.) But, not to sound like a broken record, the only thing I can do is to be myself and extoll the abilities that I can bring to a project. Hopefully, it can continue to be competitive in the AI space.
JL: Tell me three funny things about yourself that others may not know.
MA: I’m not sure how funny they are (or how secretive they are, since I talk about them pretty much all the time!), but I’m a huge coffee fan…so much so that I roast my own beans! I love the artistry of it, trying to find the right balance between science and taste. And I’ll drive pretty much anywhere to find good craft beer. I took a trip to the Pacific Northwest in the mid-90s, during the advent of the craft beer movement. It was an epiphany. It changed my palate and my life, switching from ‘quantity’ to ‘quality.’ My wife (who does not drink beer) has indulged my odd penchant for a 3-hour drive just to bring back a specific IPA that I can’t get here! And lately…I’ve been into wet shaving. I like the intentional nature of pampering oneself for 15 minutes by ditching the plastic cartridges and shaving like our grandfathers did. And I love the artistry of a razor produced by a company that’s been at it for 150 years!
Listen to Matt’s demo here.
Request a demo through Benztown.
Connect with Matt directly here.
Jeff Lynn serves as Editor of Barrett Media’s Music Radio coverage. Prior to joining Barrett Media, Jeff spent time programming in Milwaukee, Omaha, Cleveland, Des Moines, and Madison for multiple radio groups, including iHeartMedia, Townsquare Media, NRG Media, and Entercom (now Audacy). He also worked as a Country Format Editor for All Access until the outlet shut down in August 2023.
To get in touch with Jeff by email, reach him at Jeff@BarrettMedia.com.
