Lee Crooks (voice actor)
Lee Crooks | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1960 |
| Occupation(s) | Voice actor, audio engineer |
| Known for | Voice of overhead announcements on the Chicago "L" |
Lee Crooks (1960 -) is an American voice actor best known for his work with the Chicago Transit Authority.[1][2]
Lee Crooks grew up in Wausau, Wisconsin. He was heavily involved with music in high school. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point at Wausau, then transferred to the Berklee College of Music in Boston to study guitar. He returned to his home state of Wisconsin further study at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music.
Crooks did not finish college. He worked as a roadie for a few years for a friend's band, then went to Ohio to become an audio engineer. He then started Breezeway Recording Studio in Waukesha, Wisconsin. In the late 1980s, Crooks sold the studio but continued working there as an audio engineer.[3] After years of working as a audio engineer, he went into voice acting.[4] He started taking lessons from a voice coach in Chicago in 1989.[3]
In the 1990s, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) started looking for a voice actor to do overhead announcements on buses and trains. Previously, train conductors had made the announcements while driving. Their voices were often muffled and difficult for passengers to hear. Crooks auditioned for the role in 1997.[3] He had just visited Disney World with his family, and he was inspired by the announcer's voice on the monorail.[5] His voice went live on the "L" in 2000 and on CTA buses in 2003.[1]
As of 2023, Crooks still commutes to Chicago to record updates to the overhead announcement system.[4] He notes that his voice has deepened with age, making it difficult at times to match the original 1998 announcement voice.[2] Crooks has been nicknamed the "voice of the CTA."[6]
Crooks also does voiceovers for commercials, audiobooks, documentaries, technical training videos, and Buffalo Metro Rail in Buffalo, New York.[1][5]
Crooks lives in the Milwaukee suburbs with his family.[7] He is married with children and a grandchild.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Liederman, Mack (December 15, 2023). "The Voice Of The CTA Hits 25-Year Milestone Of Telling Us Where We Are". Block Club Chicago.
- ^ a b Geoffrey Baer (March 4, 2020). Chicago Tours with Geoffrey Baer: Meet the Voice of the CTA (Television production). PBS.
- ^ a b c Tanzilo, Bobby (November 4, 2020). "Milwaukee Talks: Lee Crooks, voice of the Chicago Transit Authority". On Milwaukee.
- ^ a b Hernandez, Nudia (November 18, 2023). "Voice of the CTA Lee Crooks isn't a familiar name, but we've been listening to him for over two decades". Chicago Sun Times.
- ^ a b Hernandez, Nudia (October 25, 2023). "The Voice of the CTA Makes a Stop at Vocalo". Vocalo.
- ^ Rami, Triputi (April 19, 2013). "This Is the Guy Telling You the Doors Open on the Right at Belmont". Chicago Magazine.
- ^ Gardner, Kyla (July 9, 2018). "This Man Is 'The Voice Of The CTA' You Hear On The Train Every Day: 'Doors Closing'". Block Club Chicago.