Kirby Heyborne

Last updated
Kirby Heyborne
Born (1977-10-08) October 8, 1977 (age 46)
Evanston, Wyoming, U.S.
Alma mater University of Utah
Occupation(s)Actor, musician, singer, songwriter, narrator, comedian

Kirby Heyborne (born October 8, 1977) is an American actor, musician, singer, songwriter, narrator and comedian. He is known for his work in films centered around the culture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Heyborne has also worked extensively as an audiobook narrator, narrating more than 300 books. [1] He has won two Odyssey Awards [1] and an Audie Award for Middle Grade Title. [2] In 2015, Booklist named him a Voice of Choice narrator. [1]

Contents

Early life and education

Heyborne graduated from Alta High School in 1995 where he was student body president. He is a member of the LDS Church and served as a missionary for the church in the Dominican Republic. [3] He later graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in Economics. [1] [4]

Career

Heyborne is both an actor and a musician; he has released several CDs on which he sings and plays the guitar. But he did not become widely popular in the LDS Church community until his starring role in the film The R.M. (2003). His first appearance in a non-LDS film was as "Teddy" in The Three Stooges (2012).

He is also an accomplished narrator, and has provided voice work for many novels, short stories, and non-fiction titles. [5]

Heyborne generated some controversy in the Latter-day Saint community in 2008 after deciding to appear in a Miller Lite beer commercial. [6] Devout members of the LDS Church do not drink alcohol, and his appearance in a beer commercial was perceived as hypocritical. Heyborne stated that he would prefer to act only in roles aligned with his faith but was unable to predict which offers he might receive. He interpreted the Miller Lite opportunity as an answer to prayer, and a way to feed his family. [7] He was later denied the chance to play at LDS Church-owned Brigham Young University (BYU), where he had often played in the past, allegedly due to his involvement with the commercial. [8]

He also had appeared in a Best Buy commercial in late-summer 2013, promoting sales for Verizon phones for an upcoming back-to-school sale. This commercial aired during the CBS primetime lineup on August 26, 2013.

In 2019, he began as host for a new show on BYUtv called Making Good. [9] [10]

Awards and honors

In 2015, Booklist named Heyborne a Voice of Choice narrator, noting that he has a "skill at voicing accents and dialects, perhaps enhanced by his musical knowledge and ear, comes up frequently in reviews." [1]

Awards

YearTitleAwardResultRef.
2006 Cloud Atlas (2004) by David Mitchell Audie Award for Literary Fiction Finalist [11]
2008Selections from Dreamsongs 1 by George R.R. Martin Audie Award for Science Fiction Finalist [12]
2011The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Top 10 [13] [14]
2012Rotters by Daniel Kraus Odyssey Award Winner [1] [15] [16]
2013Heft by Liz Moore Audie Award for Literary Fiction Finalist [17]
L.A. Noir by John Buntin Audie Award for History or Biography Finalist [17]
2014The Invisible Heart by Russell D. Roberts Audie Award for Business and Personal Development Finalist [18] [19]
Rumble by Ellen Hopkins Listen-Up Award for Children’s/YAFinalist [20]
Rumble by Ellen Hopkins Listen-Up Award for Audiobook Narrator of the YearFinalist [20]
Scowler (2013) by Daniel Kraus Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Top 10 [21] [22]
Scowler (2013) by Daniel Kraus Odyssey Award Winner [23] [24] [25]
2015 Skink—No Surrender (2014) by Carl Hiaasen Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Top 10 [26] [27]
2016 All the Bright Places (2014) by Jennifer Niven Audie Award for Young Adult Title Finalist [28]
Library of Souls (2014) by Ransom Riggs Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Top 10 [29] [30]
Trollhunters by Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Top 10 [29] [30]
2017Traffick by Ellen Hopkins Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Top 10 [31] [32]
2020 Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White Audie Award for Audiobook of the Year Finalist [2]
Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White Audie Award for Middle Grade Title Winner [2]
Dig by A. S. King Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Top 10 [33] [34]
2022The Couch Potato by Jory John Audie Award for Young Listeners' Title Finalist [35]

"Best of" lists

YearTitleListRef.
2006The Young Man and the Sea (2004) by Rodman Philbrick Selected Audiobooks for Young Adults [36] [37]
2008Genius by Jesse Kellerman Booklist Editors' Choice: Media [38]
2010Cosmic (2010) by Frank Cottrell-Boyce AudioFile Best of Children's [23]
2011Rotters by Daniel Kraus Booklist Editors' Choice: Media [39]
2012 The Beginner's Goodbye (2012) by Anne Tyler AudioFile Best of Fiction [23]
Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults [40]
Moon Over Manifest (2010) by Clare Vanderpool Notable Children's Recordings [41]
Rotters by Daniel Kraus Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults [40]
Stay Awake: Stories (2012) by Dan Chaon AudioFile Best of Fiction [23]
2013 Almost Perfect (2009) by Brian Katcher Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults [42]
Ender's Game Alive by Orson Scott Card AudioFile Best of Science Fiction [23]
Heft by Liz Moore RUSA Listen List [43] [44]
Scowler (2013) by Daniel Kraus Booklist Editors' Choice: Audio for Youth [45]
2014 Hollow City (2014) by Ransom Riggs AudioFile Best of Young Adult [23]
Scowler (2013) by Daniel Kraus Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults [46]
Scowler (2013) by Daniel Kraus AudioFile Best of Young Adult [23]
Those Darn Squirrels! by Adam Rubin Notable Children's Videos [47]
2015100 Sideways Miles by Andrew Smith Booklist Editors' Choice: Audio for Youth [48]
All the Bright Places (2014) by Jennifer Niven Publishers Weekly Best Children's/YA Audiobooks [49]
Goodbye Stranger (2015) by Rebecca Stead AudioFile Best of Children's [23]
Hollow City (2014) by Ransom Riggs Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults [26]
The Madman of Piney WoodsNotable Children's Recordings [50]
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2012) by Jesse Andrews AudioFile Best of Young Adult [23]
Noggin by John Corey Whaley Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults [26]
Old Wolf (2015) by Avi AudioFile Best of Children's [23]
Skink—No Surrender (2014) by Carl Hiaasen Booklist Editors' Choice: Audio for Youth [48]
2016100 Sideways Miles by Andrew Smith Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults [51] [29]
All the Bright Places (2014) by Ariadne Meyers Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults [51] [29]
Crown of Three by J.D. Rinehart Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults [29]
Mister Monkey (2016) by Francine Prose AudioFile Best of Fiction [23]
2017The Bright Hour (2017) by Nina Riggs AudioFile Best of Memoir [23]
The Ethan I Was Before (2017) by Ali Standish AudioFile Best of Children & Family Listening [23]
Lincoln in the Bardo (2017) by George Saunders Booklist Editors' Choice: Audio for Adults [52]
2018The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken Notable Children's Recordings [53]
Lincoln in the Bardo (2017) by George Saunders RUSA Listen List [54]
2019 Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White AudioFile Best of Children & Family Listening [23]
2020 Charlotte’s Web (1952) by E.B. White Notable Children's Recordings [55]
Roller Girl (2015) by Victoria Jamieson Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults [56]
Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults [56]
2022Donuts and Other Proclamations of Love by Jared Reck Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults [57]

Works

Filmography

Discography

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Saricks, Joyce (2015-06-01). "Voice of Choice: Kirby Heyborne". Booklist . Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  2. 1 2 3 "2020 Audie Awards®". Audio Publishers Association . Archived from the original on 2020-02-03. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  3. ↑ Toone, Trent (2012-07-16). "A conversation with Kirby Heyborne (+video)". DeseretNews.com. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
  4. ↑ "Utah actor's Hollywood dream comes true in 'Three Stooges'". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
  5. ↑ "List of narrated titles". Heyborne's website. Archived from the original on March 26, 2013. Retrieved 2013-03-24.
  6. ↑ "MormonTimes". MormonTimes. Archived from the original on 2009-01-21. Retrieved 2013-01-04.
  7. ↑ "BYU NewsNet - LDS Media Star Faces Scrutiny Over Beer Ad". 2012-05-04. Archived from the original on 2012-05-04. Retrieved 2018-08-18.
  8. ↑ "Kirby Heyborne @ Linescratchers". Linescratchers.com. 2010-02-06. Archived from the original on 2012-11-13. Retrieved 2013-01-04.
  9. ↑ "Kirby Heyborne".
  10. ↑ "Making Good: Interview with Kirby Heyborne".
  11. ↑ "2006 Audie Awards®". Audio Publishers Association . Archived from the original on 2022-08-31. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  12. ↑ "2008 Audie Awards®". Audio Publishers Association . Archived from the original on 2022-08-26. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  13. ↑ "Top Ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2011-01-11. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  14. ↑ Finneke, Jaclyn (2011-01-13). "YALSA names 2011 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". American Library Association . Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  15. ↑ "Odyssey Award 2012". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2013-01-31. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  16. ↑ Communications and Marketing Office (2014-01-29). "American Library Association announces 2014 youth media award winners". American Library Association . Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  17. 1 2 "2013 Audie Awards®". Audio Publishers Association . Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  18. ↑ "2014 Audie Finalists Announced". Publishers Weekly . 2014-02-18. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  19. ↑ "2014 Audie Awards®". Audio Publishers Association . Archived from the original on 2021-03-10. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  20. 1 2 Coreno, Annie (2015-01-30). "The 2014 Listen-Up Awards: The Best Audiobooks of the Year". Publishers Weekly . Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  21. ↑ "2014 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Top Ten". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2014-01-30. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  22. ↑ "Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults 2014". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2014-01-30. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "AudioFile Magazine Spotlight on Narrator Kirby Heyborne". AudioFile Magazine. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  24. ↑ "Odyssey Award Winner: 2014". Booklist . 2014-01-27. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  25. ↑ Communications and Marketing Office (2014-01-27). "Listening Library wins 2014 Odyssey Award for 'Scowler'". American Library Association . Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  26. 1 2 3 "2015 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2015-02-03. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  27. ↑ Lam, Anna (2015-02-05). "YALSA names 2015 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". American Library Association . Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  28. ↑ "2016 Audie Awards®". Audio Publishers Association . Archived from the original on 2016-06-23. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 "2016 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2016-01-11. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  30. 1 2 Lam, Anna (2016-01-14). "YALSA names 2016 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". American Library Association . Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  31. ↑ "2017 Top Ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2017-01-25. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  32. ↑ O'Connor, Nichole (2017-01-31). "YALSA names 2017 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". News and Press Center. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  33. ↑ "2020 Top Ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2020-01-06. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  34. ↑ Lam, Anna (2020-01-08). "YALSA names 2020 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". American Library Association . Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  35. ↑ "2022 Audie Awards®". Audio Publishers Association . Archived from the original on 2022-10-06. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  36. ↑ "The Young Man and the Sea | Awards & Grants". American Library Association . February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  37. ↑ "2006 Selected Audiobooks for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2007-03-15. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  38. ↑ "2008 booklist editors choice media | Awards & Grants". American Library Association . Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  39. ↑ Beauregard, Sue-Ellen (2012-01-01). "Booklist Editors' Choice: Media, 2011". Booklist . Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  40. 1 2 "Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults: 2012". Booklist . 2012-03-01. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  41. ↑ "2012 Notable Children's Recordings list". Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). 2013-01-24. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  42. ↑ "Almost Perfect | Awards & Grants". American Library Association . 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  43. ↑ "Heft | Awards & Grants". American Library Association . January 29, 2013. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  44. ↑ "2013 List". Reference & User Services Association (RUSA). 2014-01-29. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  45. ↑ Saricks, Joyce (2014-01-01). "Booklist Editors' Choice: Audio for Youth, 2013". Booklist . Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  46. ↑ "Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults: 2014". Booklist . 2014-03-15. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  47. ↑ "2014 Notable Children's Videos". Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). 2015-01-02. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  48. 1 2 "Booklist Editors' Choice: Audio for Youth, 2015". Booklist . 2016-01-01. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  49. ↑ Coreno, Annie (2016-01-08). "The Best Audiobooks of 2015". Publishers Weekly . Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  50. ↑ "2015 Notable Children's Recordings". Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). 2015-12-15. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  51. 1 2 "Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults: 2016". Booklist . 2016-03-01. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  52. ↑ "Booklist Editors' Choice: Audio for Adults, 2017". Booklist . 2018-01-18. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  53. ↑ "2018 Notable Children's Recordings". Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). 2018-12-14. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  54. ↑ "The Listen List: Outstanding Audio Narration, 2018". Booklist . 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  55. ↑ "2020 Notable Children's Recordings". Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). 2021-01-23. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  56. 1 2 "2020 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2020-01-06. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  57. ↑ "2022 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2022-02-03. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
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