Josh Tickell’s movies have won more than 40 major awards, have been selected as a NYTimes Critics’ Pick, shortlisted for an Oscar, and shown in the White House. He has spoken at more than 100 colleges and Fortune 500 businesses globally. Josh has been a guest on The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, Morning Joe and on the Today Show. He recently co-directed the Lionsgate release, GOOD FORTUNE. Tickell’s new book, Kiss the Ground – How the Food You Eat Can Reverse Climate Change, Heal Your Body and Save the World is being turned into a movie from executive producer Leonardo DiCaprio.

KURTIS LEE THOMAS

Kurtis Lee Thomas is a successful entrepreneur, celebrity mentor, motivational speaker, and author of the best selling book THE WORLD IS YOURS -The Secrets behind “The Secret”. You may have seen him in photos with people like Tony Robbins, Deepak Chopra, sir Richard Branson, Steve Forbes, Beyoncé, Kanye West, and Oprah Winfrey.

Kurtis is a business intuitive who adamantly believes that the harmonious communion of the body, mind, and spirit is the key to living a happy and healthy life. This thought pattern and diligent lifestyle choice are what eventually led Kurtis to becoming a certified Hypnotherapist, NLP practitioner, Reiki Master, certified Angel Card Reader by Doreen Virtue herself, as well as a International Sports Sciences Association fitness professional.

His mantra of “First you must LEARN, then you should EARN, so eventually you can RETURN,” led Kurtis to become a philanthropist and certified Life Coach.

JESSE BROWN

Jesse Brown lives in Costa Mesa, with his high school sweetheart, Reanna and their two teenagers, Deborah and Isaiah. At 32, he thought had everything he thought he wanted. Twelve years married; two kids, health, wealth, and then she left. Like over half of American families, they divorced. But what he discovered about himself not only brought them back together, but recently sparked in him a desire to share his “love vs lust” lessons with others through spoken word videos on his newly formed YouTube channel “Tough Love Talks”. He is also looking to publish his book “Love is Not for Pu**ies” by the end of 2018. A “Tough Love Talks” podcast may also be in the cards.

ROBBIE MOTTER

MICHAEL MCGINNIS

During Michael McGinnis’ long career as a singer, songwriter, actor, poet, and storyteller, He directed the music for, and performed with, the internationally popular New Christy Minstrels, a group that spawned Kenny Rogers, The rest of the First Edition, Kim Carnes, and Barry McGuire. He has also toured extensively with his own band, the Rodeo Gypsies. Michael has six major label recordings to his credit, Besides It’s All Good, and was the first artist ever to produce a full-length music video for EMI Video. Many major artists, including Kim Carnes, Don Henley, Michael McDonald, Wayne Newton, and Captain Kangaroo have recorded his songs. He is a published poet, and contributes to several literary magazines. He and his friend the legendary David P. Jackson, have collected Michael’s best ever performance pieces on It’s All Good, producing a compilation of material which showcase his experience, strength and hope in a sensitive, funny, and altogether delightful way. Featured on this album are Stephen Geyer, (Great American Hero, and Hotrod Hearts) and Danny Wheatman (John Denver Band, and Marley’s Ghost).

More About Michael Mc Ginnis…

Born in February of 1942 in Peoria, Illinois, the third and last child of Francis and Dr. Clifford McGinnis, Michael spent his early years riding his pony, Star, and fantasizing about being a cowboy movie star. When he started school, the reality that hardly any of the other children in his class acted this way was quite startling to him. Often he wore his pajama top to school, because it was the closest thing he had to a pirate shirt. He never quite understood why that didn’t completely bowl the girls at school over, when it worked so well for Burt Lancaster or Kirk Douglas in the movies.

His parents were quite musical, and Michael started taking piano lessons from his mother at the age of five. This was disastrous, because he already knew all the beginning piano tunes by ear from listening to his older brothers play them, so he didn’t really bother with learning how to read the music, he just played them from memory. This of course displeased his teacher greatly, subsequently, Michael could often be found hiding behind the chicken house when it was time to practice or take a lesson.

Sometime around the age of seven, Michael’s dad took him to a nighttime rodeo at the Peoria motor speedway. This was a particularly special event for several reasons. They did not take the rest of the family; it was at night after dark, and past his bedtime; and something life changing occurred in the middle of the whole thing. The McGinnis family owned lots of horses, and Michael had already been to many horse shows and rodeos in his young life, but at this one, during the intermission, the lights went down, and the spotlight came up and out of the shoots on a big white horse, and dressed in a burgundy cowboy suit trimmed in rhinestones, rode Tex Ritter, the singing cowboy movie star. Tex rode to the center of the arena, and strumming his rhinestone-decorated guitar, sang, “Blood on the Saddle”. The story goes that upon completion of the tune, Michael leapt to his feet, and screamed, “Daddy, I want to do that!”

Michael bugged his folks for a guitar, until they finally bought him a ukulele. With a little help from his mom, he taught himself to play it, and began entertaining his family, and performing in school variety shows. Eventually he graduated to a four-string guitar, and by the time he entered high school, he was playing a full- sized electric guitar, and had formed a Doo-wop group called the ‘Six-teens’. The group had a rehearsal policy which said that if a member heard a song during the week that they thought would be good for the group, they should bring it to rehearsal, and the group would vote on it. It is important to note that in those days, radio in the Midwest was still segregated, and it was very difficult for young white boys to hear, let alone get their hands on real black rhythm and blues. But dauntless, Michael pursued several avenues and emerged on one occasion with a copy of “Daddy Cool” by the Cadillacs. He was sure that when he brought this record to the group they would be overwhelmed with excitement to learn it and perform it. Another member of the group came to that rehearsal with a record by an unknown trio of white Ivy League college students who played acoustic guitars, and banjos called the Kingston trio. The record was called “Hang down your head Tom Dooley”, and little did the boys realize at the time that this was the beginning of what was to become known as the Urban Folk Revival. The group elected to sing the folk song much to Michael’s chagrin. Soon after that experience he gave up on that group.

Synonymous with the Six-teens, Michael also played guitar in a Dixieland band which featured a trumpet player who sang folk songs just like Harry Bellefonte. He did not, however play the guitar, so Michael became his accompanist. When that boy graduated, Michael was left with an entire solo folk repertoire, which he continued to perform. This became the basis of the repertoire that he perfected in college, and eventually took on the road in the summer of 1962.

By 1962, Folk music in America was a viable popular art form, and groups like Peter Paul and Mary, the Kingston Trio, the Limelighters, the Brothers four, and the New Christy Minstrels were touring nationally. Similarly, on the East Coast, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Josh White, and of course Bellefonte. Pete Seeger and the Weavers, were making a big noise with songs of the people. So having failed his French class at De Pauw University, which put his academic endeavor in question, Michael took his guitar, and one suitcase of clothes and stuff, and went to St. Louis to Gaslight Square, where he was hired for fifty dollars a week, at a club called “Jack’s or Better”, which was a steak house catering to a mostly Jewish clientele. Michael strolled through the tables singing folk music for tips, and immediately had to learn standards like Hava Nagila. At the end of six weeks of this he got a raise, the owner built a stage with lights and sound, stopped serving meals, and turned the place into what became known as a “Folk House.”

The next two years were spent touring America’s cities playing in coffee houses, and folk clubs. The Viet Nam war was in full-tilt Boogie, so the draft was looming. Michael joined the Army Reserves, and spent 7 months of 1964 at Fort Knox, Kentucky as a Battalion Talent Director. Following this he returned to College at Bradley University in his home town, and one night at about three o’clock in the morning he received a phone call from Michael Settle who was in town at the local hotel with the New Christy Minstrels. He told Michael that Berry McGuire had left the group, and they needed a replacement. Long story short, four days later, Michael was out of school, out of the army reserve, out of Peoria, and on the road. The rest, as they say, is history.

TESS CACCIATORE

Tess has been a writer since an early age, while growing up in Des Moines IA.

Her first poem “The Red, White, and Blue” won an award and was sent to Washington DC, when she was just 8 years old. At the age of 11, even though she was stricken with fear of speaking in public, her short story was shared as her first public speaking experience talking about her passion for the Native American communities. 

Tess loves living “in the zone” of writing, which has spanned over the decades, ranging from poetry and short stories, to full feature scripts, hour long drama, animated series, speeches for the United Nations, animated children’s series, children’s books and more.

Check out  “Homeless to the White House” & “Bella Wishes”

Author/Producer/Director/Public Speaker for social good. Check out the links and be a part of a global movement that educates, motivates and inspires. Join Tess and take part of a fast-growing movement, to help change national and international laws through creative expression.

Tess has been a public speaker on behalf of women and children for the past 20+ years. Appearing before thousands of people on any given stage, to millions of viewers and listeners during interviews on television, radio, print outlets.

Tess spoke at a TEDx conference on April 14th, 2014 – revealing her vulnerable story of financial abuse that led her to the path of being without a home for seventeen months. This event, along with many other milestones in her life led for her to write her autobiography “Homeless to the White House.” 

Lyn Willmott has a BA in Ceramic Design, and another in teaching. She has run her own pottery business and has taught Art and English expression in a variety of class rooms - including five years where she ran the education department in a prison. At the age of sixty she became a fitness instructor and has helped conduct fitness trials for the aged. She has written 2 science fiction/fantasy novels for young adults and numerous short stories.

RICK MORRISON

As new author of his first children's book entitled, The Hug Store, Rick widened this sphere of his services to include families, children and single parents everywhere. Rick is proud that The Hug Store is endorsed by several nationally recognized health care professionals and features a list of over a dozen reasons why hugs are not only healthy for our body, mind and well-being, but why they are essential for it. In addition to blogging, public speaking and facilitating hugging play-shops in and around the Los Angeles area, Rick has appeared on a variety of talk, radio and TV shows to promote his vision of conscious parenting and ultimately promoting world peace, one hug at a time. Besides food, wine, hugs and music, Rick s other passions include fitness and overall well-being. Rick enjoys charity work as well as giving back to his community. Some of the charities that are particularly important to him are Cystic Fibrosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Cancer, Meals on Wheels and Macular Degeneration. Lastly, Rick s ultimate joy and inspiration in life is spending time with his co-author of The Hug Store and most huggable one, daughter Shana.