Phil Vassar

Phil Vassar's unbounded energy and limitless talent have proven him, again and again, as one of Nashville's most prolific and versatile stars. Those who best understand Phil Vassar - good-time, piano playing, boundless energy on stage, hardest-working-man-in-the business also understand the ongoing evolution of his original music.

His resume boasts numerous hits for artists including Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Jo Dee Messina, and Collin Raye, and many more hits as an artist in his own right. He's been named the ASCAP Songwriter of the Year twice and has taken top honors from the Academy of Country Music, Billboard MusicRow, and also honored by the the CMA's.

With his self-titled artist debut on Arista/Nashville, Phil took his seat as country's leading piano man with the success of songs like "Carlene," "Just Another Day in Paradise" and "Six-Pack Summer." Since then he's continued to prove his worth time and again with releases like "American Child," "That's When I love You," "In A Real Love," "I'll Take That as a Yes (The Hot Tub Song)," "Last Day of My Life" and "Love is a Beautiful Thing."

Phil's just launched Rodeowave Entertainment, a full-service Record Label/Promotions/ Management company based in Nashville, TN, and is currently on tour.

"I love all of you people."

B.J. Hickman

A regular entertainer at Hollywood's Magic Castle, and a New England favorite, magician B.J. Hickman is one of the busiest magicians in America. He keeps people entertained at festivals, art centers, theaters, educational school assemblies, special events throughout New England to speaking presentations throughout the United States.

For fellow magicians, he lectures about the business of entertaining family audiences and using magic to motivate children. He has sold thousands of his instructional video tapes.

His interest in magic began as a child growing up in Manchester, New Hampshire. "My dad taught me a little trick with a piece of string and I was hooked.", recalls Hickman. He later migrated to Hampton Beach, New Hampshire.

While still a child, Hickman joined The International Brotherhood of Magicians (I.B.M.) and went on to become an "Order of Merlin-Shield" member and Territorial Representative. He is active locally, having held every office in the New Hampshire chapter of The International Brotherhood of Magicians. He is also a member of several other organizations including the Academy of Magical Arts.

"I love so much about New Hampshire - from the mountains to the lakes and ocean."

Jimmy Dunn

Jimmy Dunn travels the world telling jokes. He performs at corporate events, in comedy clubs and on some of the largest cruise ships in the world. He also runs Jimmy Dunn Creative, a NH based company that makes funny, creative advertising for TV and the web. When he's not being funny, he's usually surfing in Hampton, which can also be very funny.

"Because NH is home to the Hampton Beach Comedy Festival. 3 nights of laughs with some of my best friends in the business along with 3 days of sun and surf. For me, there really isn't a better gig!"

Recycled Percussion

Justin Spencer formed Recycled Percussion in 1995 for a high school talent show. Justin was looking for a way to be as creative as possible and took the idea of playing buckets, which was introduced to him in the subways of New York City. Deciding to take the next step, Justin added more and more instruments to the show and expanded on the New York style of street percussion.

The New Hampshire-based band really started to take off in 1999 when they were featured on the cover of USA TODAY. Recycled Percussion began touring the country, performing over 250 shows a year starting in 2001 and began breaking records in the college market, performing at colleges, NBA halftimes, NFL halftimes and corporate events for major companies all over the world.

The group made its debut on the smash hit television show America's Got Talent. The group auditioned with over 100,000 acts and came so close to winning the show and became the highest placed non singing act to ever compete in show history when they finished third.

Recycled Percussion currently has a show at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas. Their incredible versatility has filled their calendar with televised performances on America's and China's Got Talent, 2010 Latin Grammy's, World MMA Awards, NBA & NFL halftime shows, convention general session openers, corporate events, college performances and more.

"The weather is great, maple syrup in Canterbury, hiking in Black Brook Mountain area, tax-free status."

"Changing seasons, lakes, we don't have trees in Vegas, so nice to see trees."

"Lakes Region and Seacoast beaches."

"I grew up on the Merrimack River, where I used to go rope-swinging and fishing. I love the Red Arrow diner, where you can get breakfast at 4AM."

Jodi Picoult (Hall of Fame)

Jodi Picoult is the bestselling author of eighteen novels. Most recently, she released Handle with Care in 2009, House Rules in 2010 and is currently touring to support her new book, "Sing You Home", released in 2011. Her books are translated into thirty four languages in thirty five countries. Three - The Pact, Plain Truth, and The Tenth Circle, have been made into television movies. My Sister's Keeper premiered on June 26, 2009, in theatres from New Line Cinema, with Nick Cassavetes directing and Cameron Diaz starring. Picoult studied creative writing with Mary Morris at Princeton, and had two short stories published in Seventeen magazine while still a student. She held a number of jobs following her graduation: as a technical writer for a Wall Street brokerage firm, as a copywriter at an ad agency, as an editor at a textbook publisher, and as an 8th grade English teacher - before entering Harvard to pursue a master's in education. She married Tim Van Leer, whom she had known at Princeton, and it was while she was pregnant with her first child that she wrote her first novel, Songs of the Humpback Whale. She and Tim and their three children live in Hanover, New Hampshire with three Springer spaniels, two donkeys, two geese, eight ducks, five chickens, and the occasional Holstein.

"Every time I see hordes of tourists streaming through Hanover, NH in the summertime, I'm reminded of how lucky I am to live in a place that is everyone else's vacation destination. You can't beat New Hampshire for its sheer abundance of natural beauty, the culture of its college towns, and the history that's steeped throughout its landscape."

Matt Bonner (Hall of Fame)

Matt was born in Concord, New Hampshire in 1980. He graduated from Concord High School First in Class in 1999, before going on to attend college at the University of Florida and play for the Gators. He earned the Verizon Academic All-American of the Year honors for basketball in each of this final two seasons, becoming the first basketball player in Florida history to win the award. He was drafted into the NBA by the Chicago Bulls in 2003 and traded to the Raptors where he played for two seasons. In 2006 he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs, where he currently plays as a Center/Guard and has for the last five seasons. Bonner is only the second player from New Hampshire to play in the NBA and the first since 1986. He is married to Nadia Bonner and they have one daughter, Evangeline-Vesper.

"My favorite place in New Hampshire is Funspot, the funnest place in the world."

Sarah Silverman (Hall of Fame)

Sarah Silverman is a comedian/writer/singer/musician and actress who was born in Bedford, NH. She has been a writer for "Saturday Night Live" and "Mr. Show with Bob and David" and has also acted in movies like "Bulworth" and "There's Something About Mary". Most recently she had a comedy program on Comedy Central aptly titled "The Sarah Silverman Program". Her biography was published in April of last year, called "The Bedwetter".

"There is a reason to explore each season of NH. Each offers an experience all their own -- the greenery of the summer, the feast for the eyes of the autumn, the cold, quiet serenity of the winter, and the flowery rebirth of spring."

Tom Bergeron (Hall of Fame)

Emmy-Award winner Tom Bergeron is the host of ABC's America's Funniest Home Videos and co-host of Dancing with the Stars. Although born in Haverill, Massachusetts, Tom calls Portsmouth his "emotional home". When not jetting between homes in Connecticut and California, he likes to decompress in New Hampshire. He got his radio chops at a young age on WHEB in Portsmouth and later on Boston radio before going on to host Hollywood Squares from 1998-2004. He has a wife and two daughters.

"In Portsmouth, I love the haddock sandwiches & clam chowder at the Old Ferry Landing, the subs at Moe's and the meatball sandwiches and dilemma pizzas at The Bratskellar. I'm getting hungry just writing this!!"

Palace Youth Theatre

The Palace Youth Theatre in Manchester is one of the largest youth performing companies in the area and is growing every year. It has become an integral part of the historic Palace Theatre. With opportunities for both youth (ages 8 -12) and teenagers (ages 13 -18) the Palace Youth Theatre offers programs for actors of all levels with varying levels of commitment.

"Over the past year, the Palace Theatre has been fortunate enough to have more than 400 young actors grace the Palace Stage under the watchful eye of Artistic Director, Carl Rajotte and his talented, seasoned team of acting professionals. It was the biggest season ever! We love it here!"

Ken Burns

Ken Burns was born in Brooklyn, New York, but has lived in Walpole, New Hampshire, for more than thirty years. He is an award-winning documentary filmmaker who has produced more than 26 films, including The War, Baseball, Jazz, and The National Parks: America's Best Idea. He is perhaps best known for his critically acclaimed television series The Civil War, a nine-part documentary. Ken's newest film, Prohibition, is due out this year. He has a wife and four children and is co-founder of Florentine Films, located in Walpole.

"I love it because it is home - the second best word in the English language."

Arlene Newman-Van Asperen

Arlene Newman-Van Asperen grew up in Northwood, New Hampshire and her roots run deep. Her grandparents on her father's side had a hotel called The Melrose Inn on the sunny shores that she used to walk along. Her mother's parents were hard working farmers and owned a lumber mill. Arlene grew up with seven siblings. Her mother is a school teacher and her father is a bagpiper and a minister, sharing his love for god through sermons and song. After graduating Coe-Brown Academy in Northwood, she left New Hampshire to pursue a career as a model and actor. She has lived in a variety of places including Japan, San Francisco, and Milan, Italy and currently resides in Hawaii. She has appeared in numerous television shows, including Fantasy Island and the third season of Lost as Claire's mother. She was in the Adam Sandler comedy Just Go With It and most recently in Soul Surfer as Sydney Blanchard and has worked with a number of actors, including Helen Hunt, Dennis Quaid, Kevin Sorbo, Lorraine Nicholson, and Branscombe Richmond.

"I love New Hampshire. I have traveled all over the world and there is nothing like the beauty you find here. The people, the food, the seasons and the beautiful scenery. I am proud to say I will always call myself a New Hampshire 'local'."

Christian Wisecarver

Christian Wisecarver was born October 2nd, 1977 and raised in Atkinson, NH. He attended the University of New Hampshire for a year and graduated from Emerson College in 2000, interning at both Universal Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures, while pursuing a Visual & Media Arts Degree.

After college, Christian formed "The Super Secret Project" (or The SSP to their fans), a comedy rap group best known for their incredibly popular New Hampshire-themed rap videos "Granite State of Mind", and its quasi-sequel "Plow Guy Boogaloo". His music videos have been featured on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Today Show, Channel 4 in the U.K., and BET, as well as the NY Daily News, USA Today and MTV's Buzzfeed. The SSP recently performed many live concerts around the state, including sold-out gigs at The Portsmouth Music Hall Loft, appearances at The Verizon Wireless Arena, and opening for "Weird" Al Yankovic at Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion.

"Reversing Inertia", a feature screenplay that he wrote, was a 2009 Semi-Finalist in the Nicholl Fellowship, an annual screenwriting competition put on by The Academy Awards, and he recently shot a cameo appearance for the upcoming movie "What's Your Number?". When not rapping about NH or writing, Christian enjoys spending time with his wife and young children.

"New Hampshire has so many fantastic options for weekend adventures. Whether it be a scenic family picnic, a mountain hike, a day at the beach or shopping, there is definitely something for everyone in the Granite State. Why would anyone want to live anywhere else?"

Holly Winchell

While not an official member of the SSP, Holly Winchell is the other half of the singing duo in the iconic "Granite State of Mind" and "Plow Guy Boogaloo" videos. She was born on September 8th 1985 and was raised in Atkinson NH. After graduating from Timberlane High School, she went on to attend Plymouth State University where she received a BA in communications/film and media studies. She then went on to pursue her passion in beauty and make up at Empire Beauty School in Portsmouth N.H. and is now a licensed esthetician working at Salon Sophia in Hampstead N.H. where she specializes in make-up, eyelash extensions, and threading.

Holly was raised in a family of gifted singers and musicians, and has always loved to sing since early childhood. She has performed the National Anthem at many sports venues, including her own, as well as at the state house for two of our governors. While at Timberlane, Holly was among the elite group of singers in the Select Ensemble. Holly is so passionate about singing that she states, "I've even sang in my sleep." My dad walked in thinking the radio or TV was on but it was me singing in my sleep."

"The best things about New Hampshire are the seasons and their distinct smells. The one thing I will never be able to live without is purity of the air- the anxious need for a deep cleansing breath when returning home from a trip. Each season brings scents we all know and love and they create pleasant memories."

Penny Pitou

Born in Bayside, Long Island, New York, in 1938, Penny moved to Center Harbor, New Hampshire with her parents and younger brother, Kip, when she was three and moved to Gilford when she was seven. Like most youngsters in that part of New England, Penny put on her first pair of skis at the age of four. But with her it was different. Before long she was skiing circles around the other kids. She was racing before they could do stem turns. By the time she was eight, she was competing, not with the girls, but against the boys. And she was beating them! In 1955, while still in high school, she astonished the skiing world by winning the Downhill, Slalom and Combined at the Junior National Championships held in Whitefish, Montana. The next year, at the age of 17, Penny was picked as one of seven women to represent the United States in the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.

In 1960, the Winter Olympics came to Squaw Valley, California. Penny was the choice of the nation's sportswriters to uphold the prestige of U.S. skiing. She won a Silver medal in the Downhill - one second behind the winner, Heidi Biebl of Germany - and another Silver medal in the Giant Slalom--one-tenth' of a second behind Yvonne Ruegg of Switzerland. She is the first American, man or woman, to have won a medal in the downhill event in the Olympics.

Her racing career was climaxed in 1961 with her election to the National Ski Hall of Fame as "the best Alpine skier of the Year". Soon afterward she married Egon Zimmermann (a member of the Austrian Olympic team), turned professional and traded in the tight racing uniforms for the more comfortable ski school parkas. In addition to becoming a wife and mother, she founded two successful ski schools, one at Gunstock in New Hampshire, the other at Blue Hills in Massachusetts.

In 1974 Penny purchased Lakes Travel Agency in Laconia, NH and renamed it Penny Pitou Travel, Inc. In April 1979 she opened a branch office in Concord, NH, and in 1995 another branch in North Conway, NH, so that she might better serve the people of her State.

Penny was one of the first board members of the International Skiing History Association (I.S.H.A.). She is a board member of the United States Ski Association National Historical Committee and the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame & Museum Board.

She lives in Gilford, NH. Her two sons, Christian, born in 1962 and Kim, born in 1965, are both very fine skiers in their own rights.

"Gilford-my home town. Quintessential New England with its tree-lined main street and colonial homes. I can walk out my front door with my dogs and hike over 6 mountains to Mt Major without seeing anyone. I travel all over the world, but I love coming home to the peace and quiet of my hometown."

Scotty Lago

Scotty Lago was born November 12, 1987 and calls Seabrook, New Hampshire, home. He started snowboarding when he was seven years old and has won numerous medals and has been featured in videos and magazines in the industry.

Lago is a member of snowboarding's FRENDS crew, a group of seven snowboarders (Danny Davis, Kevin Pearce, Jack Mitrani, Luke Mitrani, Keir Dillon, Mason Aguirre and Lago) who eschew individual acclaim for the traditional ethos of snowboarding. In this instance, "friends" is deliberately spelled without an "i" because the snowboarders say that there is no individual in the group.

In 5 years at the Winter X-Games, Scotty has earned medals in two disciplines: bronze in SuperPipe (2006) and silver in Slopestyle (2009). Lago was also a member of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Snowboarding team along with Shaun White, Greg Bretz, and Louie Vito, where he won a bronze medal in the halfpipe.

Raising money for the Floating Hospital for Children in Boston, he shows the world that there is another side to this volatile sport, and in 2007, he was recognized at the "30 Under 30 Awards," which acknowledges 30 outstanding young leaders from film, fashion, music, politics, and sports. When Lago is not snowboarding, he enjoys hunting and fishing.

"New Hampshire, we have it all...mountains, streams, sun, and beaches! I love North Hampton Beach because it is my favorite place to surf and meet up with friends. I love being home!"

Samantha Brown

In her 10 years at Travel Channel, Samantha Brown has visited dozens of countries, hundreds of cities and countless hotels around the world. Sam explores the perfect travel destinations for weekend getaways in the most recent edition of her travel series, Samantha Brown's Great Weekends. Previously, Sam traveled through various areas of China for Samantha Brown: Passport to China. In Passport to Latin America, Samantha took viewers to 20 cities, revealing colorful landscapes and warm populations.

Prior to that, Sam immersed herself in European culture, traveling to 65 destinations from magnificent capitals to tiny mountaintop villages to ancient seacoast towns in Passport to Europe. Samantha has truly enjoyed showing viewers how extraordinary it is to be a part of everyday life in another part of the world and how the language barrier can sometimes be a bridge to a deeper communication, one that she respects and cherishes.

Brown was born in Dallas, Texas. Her family soon moved to Derry, New Hampshire, and later, New Castle, New Hampshire, where she grew up and graduated from Pinkerton Academy. She took 12 years of voice lessons, attended Chapman University, and transferred to Syracuse University. Samantha graduated from Syracuse University with a BFA in Musical Theatre. Her off-Broadway credits include "Brutality of Fact" at Primary Stages and "June Moon" at the Variety Theatre.

"My favorite place is Portsmouth, New Hampshire, because it is a year-round destination. It's not just a place to shop and walk around- it is where people live. It's a lifestyle you want to be a part of."