`VOICE OF SIMI' STEPPING AWAY FROM THE MIKE.Byline: Angela Randazzo Daily News Staff Writer To Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. residents, the warm, friendly voice of Burt Wilson is familiar even if his face isn't. For the past five years, Wilson has been ``the voice of Simi Valley'' - producing, writing and doing most of the voice-overs for more than 200 commercials commissioned by local businesses. The local spots run on cable channels such as ESPN ESPN Entertainment and Sports Programming Network , TNT TNT: see trinitrotoluene. TNT in full trinitrotoluene Pale yellow, solid organic compound made by adding nitrate (−NO2) groups to toluene. and USA. While anybody can put words and pictures together and call it a commercial, Wilson has taken particular care to put his own stamp on each project. ``Creating a unique concept for each client is artistically satisfying,'' he said. ``I approach each job with the idea that it's going to be the best commercial I've ever done.'' Wilson's small apartment, usually crowded with videotapes and video equipment, is now filled with packing boxes. At 65, he's retiring from producing commercials to pursue other interests. Those interests center on his lifelong devotion to teaching Agni yoga Agni Yoga, also called the "Teaching of Living Ethics" or (in Russian) the Живая этика (Zhivaya etika , an ancient metaphysical art Metaphysical art (Italian: Pittura metafisica) is the name of an Italian art movement, created by Giorgio de Chirico and Carlo Carrà. Using a realist style, they painted dream-like views of squares typical of idealized Italian cities, as well as apparently casual . ``Agni yoga is based on ethical living and putting the needs of others first,'' he said. A former member of the Philosophical Research Society of Los Angeles, Wilson has lectured on Agni yoga at a variety of venues, including the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center. He plans to move near Binghamton, N.Y., to establish a yoga center and work on a metaphysical book, ``The Third Theory, Creation According to the Ancient Wisdom,'' which challenges biblical creation and the ``big bang'' theory. Raised in Sacramento, Wilson graduated from the University of Southern California The U.S. News & World Report ranked USC 27th among all universities in the United States in its 2008 ranking of "America's Best Colleges", also designating it as one of the "most selective universities" for admitting 8,634 of the almost 34,000 who applied for freshman admission in 1955, in the first graduating class to have members earn degrees in television production. As a creative director, he worked at a top ad agency. Wilson's long and varied career began with the formation of the Watts Revitalization Corps, which worked in Watts to improve conditions after the 1965 riots. In 1970, he was asked by the Taos Indian Pueblo to join its quest to gain title to the sacred lands near Blue Lake. For his successful efforts, Wilson was awarded a ceremonial blanket. ``I was made a spiritual brother of the pueblo,'' he said. ``It was one of the highlights of my life.'' Wilson also has been known to kick up his heels as a jazz musician, playing trombone trombone [Ital.,=large trumpet], brass wind musical instrument of cylindrical bore, twice bent on itself, having a sliding section that lengthens or shortens it and thus regulates the pitch. The descendant of the sackbut, it was developed in the 15th cent. at a number of Dixieland jubilees. Despite his varied interests, the pursuit of metaphysical truths is dearest to his heart. ``In my video work, I've tried to be of service,'' Wilson said. ``The whole idea is that just doing a good job spreads light.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Burt Wilson, for years the voice of TV commercials for Simi Valley businesses, is retiring and moving to New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of state. Tom Mendoza/Daily News |
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