JIM HENSLER

Born and raised in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Jim Hensler was just a regular boy until he turned 13. And then, like a superhero discovering his powers, his voice deepened. It didn't just drop an octave - it plummeted, reaching depths that would make a humpback whale nod in approval. From that moment, everyone from his Aunt Mildred to his school gym teacher told him he had a voice for radio. If he'd received a nickel every time someone told him that, he'd be lounging on his own private island right now. Instead, he found himself on air at his college radio station, delivering weather forecasts and sports updates with a voice that had listeners wondering if they'd accidentally tuned into late-night smooth jazz.

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But perhaps the most unexpected occurrence of his early career came when he was called from the audience at a cancer benefit dinner to sing the deepest part of the Oak Ridge Boys' classic song, "Elvira". As he hit those low notes, we're pretty sure wine glasses trembled in fear and the audience wondered if the earth's core had somehow found its way to the microphone.

Despite his natural talent, Jim didn't immediately dive into a voice-over career. Instead, he took to the skies, flying a Navy reconnaissance plane and coolly communicating with controllers, ships, and even the "bad guys" with a calm so palpable, it could chill a martini. In the high-stakes world of aerial reconnaissance, you had to sound as cool as a cucumber when talking on the radio. Luckily, Jim's voice was as smooth as a jazz record on a rainy night, and he navigated these verbal minefields with ease.

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After his tour in Naval Aviation, Jim lent his voice to the political realm, writing speeches for U.S senators. His challenge? To mimic their unique personalities and mannerisms, making each senator sound like they'd swallowed a thesaurus and a handful of charisma. Not an easy task, but if anyone could do it, it was Jim.

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In 2012, his voice-over career moved into the space arena when he began working for a rocket company. Yes, he was now the voice of the final frontier, and we bet even the Martians sat up to listen when he came on the airwaves. His voice carried even further when the commercials he did for the rocket company in 2019 and 2020 aired on the highly rated WTOP in the Washington, DC area.

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From spy planes to senators, from rockets to the stage, Jim Hensler's voice has been there, done that, and probably narrated the documentary. But no matter where his voice takes him next, one thing is clear - he's not just a voice-over actor, he's a voice-over adventurer.