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Hear the voice
Play the demos. Same human voice as Barney, the Rays, LA Metro, and national spots.
Play demos →Dean Wendt · Voice of Barney
Real Human Voiceover.
Now Booking. Never AI.
I’m Dean Wendt, a professional voice actor with over 30 years of experience. Longest-running voice of Barney the Dinosaur (2001-present). Official promo voice of the Tampa Bay Rays. System voice of LA Metro. National commercial campaigns for Mitsubishi, Lexus, Toyota, Coca-Cola, ESPN, Levi’s, and more.
Hire Dean for warm, conversational commercial reads, character work, sports promos, pharmaceutical and corporate narration, IVR, e-learning, and audiobooks - all real human voiceover, never AI-generated audio. Email dean@vothatsreal.com.
Hear the voice
Dean Wendt voice demos
Press play. Commercial, conversational, character, sports, and narration - the same real human voice brands hire for national spots and long-running roles. Warm non-announcer delivery used on Mitsubishi, Lexus, Toyota, and more. Full scripts: demo transcripts.
From warm luxury reads to fun character work, Dean delivers broadcast-ready VO that connects. Never AI.
How to hire
Book Dean in one email
Email Dean the project type, length, deadline, and usage. He quotes from that - then records.
02
Send the brief
Email the project type, script length, deadline, and usage. That is enough to quote.
Open email →03
Record and deliver
Self-directed or live via Source Connect / ISDN. MP3 or broadcast files. Revisions until it is right.
Studio & FAQ →Signature roles
Signature roles
Barney the Dinosaur
The longest-running voice actor for the beloved purple dinosaur, bringing joy and education to millions of children worldwide across multiple series, films, and live performances.
Tampa Bay Rays
Promo & commercial voice
Creating the energy and excitement for thousands of fans at Tropicana Field.
LA Metro
System voice
The voice guiding millions of passengers through Los Angeles' public transportation system, delivering clear, professional announcements daily.
Credentials
Why hire Dean Wendt
Signature sound
- Warm, conversational tone
- Authoritative yet approachable
- Versatile energy to luxury polish
- Natural, authentic delivery
Notable achievements
- Longest-running voice of Barney the Dinosaur
- Tampa Bay Rays promo voice
- LA Metro system voice
- National Mitsubishi campaign (2025)
- ABC Network promos and national spots
- Pharma, games, international clients
Brand experience
- Auto: Mitsubishi, Lexus, Toyota, BMW, Ford, Chrysler, LA Metro
- Media: Barney & Friends, ABC, Tampa Bay Rays, Disney, ESPN
- Retail: Coca-Cola, Home Depot, Target, Walmart, Levi's, AT&T
- Full logo list below
About Dean Wendt
Professional voice actor
Dean Wendt is a professional voice actor with over 30 years of experience, best known as the voice of Barney the Dinosaur for over 20 years. He specializes in warm, conversational commercial reads, character voice work, corporate and e-learning narration, IVR/phone systems, and long-form audiobook narration.
Dean is SAG Eligible and has voiced national campaigns for Mitsubishi, Lexus, Toyota, Coca-Cola, and Home Depot, plus the official voice of the Tampa Bay Rays and LA Metro. Sessions run on a Neumann U87 and Sennheiser MKH-416, with delivery via Source Connect, ISDN, or MP3, quick turnaround, and revisions until you're satisfied.
Full about page- Warm, conversational tone that connects instantly with audiences
- Authoritative yet approachable delivery perfect for luxury brands
- Versatile range from friendly and energetic to sophisticated and professional
- Natural, authentic style that brings scripts to life
My voice work
From commercials to cartoons - and everything in between
I offer a unique and distinct blend of talents. With over 30 years of experience as a recording studio engineer and professional singer, and a background deeply rooted in voice and theater training, I've successfully tackled it all. Let's connect and get your project made.
TV commercials
Radio commercials
Internet commercials
Video games
Medical narrations
Corporate narrations
On-hold telephony
Character work
Podcasts
Audiobooks
E-learning modules
Animated explainers
Voicemail greetings
App voiceovers
Educational videos
Training videos
Movie trailers
Documentaries
Major brand experience
Some brands Dean has voiced
A sample of brands and networks from a 30-year career - national campaigns, sports, and entertainment.
ABC
AT&T
Bally'sBarney
BMW
Chrysler
Coca-Cola
Disney
ESPN
eSurance
Ford
Home Depot
HiT
Levi's
MattelLA Metro
Miller Lite
Mitsubishi
NBC
Old Navy
Radio Shack
SeaWorld
Sprint
Taco Bell
Target
Toyota
Lexus
Vonage
WalmartRays
CompUSAABC · AT&T · Bally's Fitness · Barney and Friends · BMW · Chrysler · Coca-Cola · CompUSA · eSurance · ESPN · Ford · Home Depot · HiT Entertainment · Levi Strauss · Mattel · LA Metro · Miller Lite · Mitsubishi · NBCUniversal · Old Navy · Radio Shack · SeaWorld · Sprint · Taco Bell · Target · The Walt Disney Company · Toyota · Lexus · Vonage · Walmart · Tampa Bay Rays · and many more.
Languages & ages
Accents & character range
I speak English with a North American accent and cover all age ranges from young adult to senior. So whether your project needs a youthful vibe or a mature tone, I have the vocal expertise to deliver.
From neutral to New York, from French to Gangster, I can nail a variety of accents and characters. Need a surfer dude or a tough guy? No problem - I've got those covered too.
Accents
- Neutral
- Mid-Atlantic
- Texas
- Southern
- Midwestern
- New York
- French
- German
- Spanish / Hispanic
- Italian
- Asian
- Indian
- Japanese
Characters
- Surfer Dude
- Pirate
- Mobster
- Villain
- Deadpan
- Redneck
- Goombah
Client reviews
Testimonials
What agencies and brands say after working with Dean.
The voice everyone can relate to. Natural non-announcer in every way. Professional and will use again.
Scott McCarthy, ESPN
We call Dean the one take wonder! Brings everything he says to life.
Randy Dalton, HIT Entertainment
Exactly what we wanted. Conversational and friendly. Highly recommended!!!!
Levi Strauss & Company
Great voice and a pleasure to work with.
Richard Cook, The Walt Disney Company
Dean delivered outstanding work on our seasonal campaigns. His ability to capture the right tone for our brand is exceptional.
Jamieson Alcoriza, Purple Patch Services
Working with Dean on our Hypori corporate videos has been seamless. He understands the technical content and makes it engaging.
Voice123 client (Hypori)
Dean has been a reliable partner for multiple projects. His versatility across genres and consistently broadcast-ready audio keep us coming back.
Returning production client
Equipment & delivery
Gear built for broadcast work
When it comes to equipment, quality is key. That is why Dean uses top-of-the-line microphones like the Neumann U87 and Sennheiser MKH-416, paired with industry-standard software like ProTools 12 and Logic X.
Final files are delivered in the format you need - MP3, Source Connect, or ISDN.
- Multiple revisions until client satisfaction
- Broadcast-quality recording and delivery
- Character voice development and maintenance
- Live-directed sessions available
- Quick turnaround - rush options on request
Why human VO
Human voice vs AI voice
Add the warmth of a human voice and emotion AI can't replicate to your next project. Messages resonate with audiences through a human voice - whether it's a commercial, narration, or character.
Human VO (Dean)
- Deep, nuanced emotion and natural expression
- Unique, genuine voice tailored to characters
- Flexible tone, style, and accent
- Understands context and subtleties
- Spontaneous creativity and improvisation
- Builds genuine connection with the audience
- Live direction with real-time adjustments
- Storytelling with varied pacing and inflection
AI VO
- Limited emotional depth and nuance
- Often uniform or artificial
- Rigid; hard to change mid-project
- Struggles with complex context
- Constrained by algorithms
- Often feels impersonal
- No real-time human collaboration
- Less dynamic storytelling
Need a real human voice on the spot?
Email Dean with the project type, length, deadline, and usage. You get a quote back - then broadcast-ready VO. Never AI.