Jimmy Ponder born 10 May 1946

Jimmy Ponder (May 10, 1946 – September 16, 2013) was an American jazz guitarist who was well known to serious jazz lovers for his recordings during his long career, over 80 as a sideman and 15 as a leader.

Jimmy Ponder, who was in Pittsburgh, grew up in the Beltzhoover neighbourhood. When Ponder's brother entered the military, he left his guitar, and Ponder picked it up. In his early teens a guitarist from a Doo-Wop band gave Ponder his first lesson. Teaching himself by ear Ponder practiced an average six hours a day. Late at night Ponder listened to jazz guitar music played on the Rochester radio station WHAM by DJ Harry Adam. He learned the songs that he heard on the radio by ear practicing them the next day after school.  Pender’s major influences were Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell. 

Learning quickly Ponder played his first professional gig at age 11 and was performing in Pittsburgh clubs by age 13. He won citywide talent shows at Knoxville Junior High School and Schenley High School. While in junior high Ponder’s sang in a “Doo-Wop” group and later played guitar in R&B bands but was fired for playing his guitar too jazzy. At the age of 16 Ponder began playing jazz in Pittsburgh with Sam Pearson’s avant-garde group Sam P. and the Players. Ponder also performed with the Bobby Jones Trio and the Jimmy McGriff Trio.

In 1963 jazz organist Charles Earland’s trio appeared at Pittsburgh’s Hurricane club and the 16 year old Ponder who had learned the solo from Ear land’s “Daily Dozen” song asked the Hurricane’s owner Bertie Dunlap if he could sit in with Earland’s trio.  Bertie consented and Ponder played the “Dirty Dozen” with Earland. Impressed Earland promised Ponder he could become a member of the band after he finished high school. Six months after graduating, he was hired. In the following years he played with Lou Donaldson, Houston Person, Donald Byrd, Stanley Turrentine, and Jimmy McGriff. He moved to Philadelphia and later New York City in the 1970s

                              

Since the late 1980s, he frequently returned to his hometown to perform with his trio of two other Pittsburgh musicians, Gene Ludwig and Roger Humphries.. He reached the Billboard Top Jazz Album charts with his best selling releases “Ain’t Misbehavin’ at 
#16 in 2000 and “All Things Beautiful” at #38 in 1978.  Ponder's highest charting release was Somebody's Child, which reached No. 3 on the JazzWeek airplay chart in 2007

Ponder took on the challenge of travelling to other cities to play for people who never heard of him. He performed Charles Earland for three years and took him to live and play in jazz clubs of of Philadelphia, New York, and New Jersey.  They went on the road playing the Chitlin Circuit at African-American jazz clubs in Atlanta, Harlem, Newark, Atlantic City and New Haven. Travelling to venues in other cities gave has Ponder to meet and learn from other skilled musicians.

As an in demand sideman Ponder has recorded with Etta Jones, Richard "Grove Holmes, Jimmy McGriff, Donald Byrd Charles Earlline, Ray Bryant, Staneley Turrentine, B.J. Thomas, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Irene Reid, and others.  He has performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Stanley Turrentine, Groove Holmes, the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band, Hank Crawford, Jimmy MacGriffe, Jack McDuff, and Sonny Stitt. 

Ponder returned to Pittsburgh in 1990 where he led a trio with

drummer Roger Humphries. He became at artist-in-residence at Duquesne University where he co-taught a master class and gave private lessons. He continued to record and work in jazz venues around the country. Ponder released his first solo album “While My Guitar Gently Weeps: on Cadet Records in 1973. One of his most popular albums “All Things Beautiful” was released on LRC records in 1978. He released two albums on ABC Music ‘Illusions” (1976_ and “White Room” (1978) and “So Many Stars” on Milestones Records in 1983.

Beginning in 1987 Ponder recorded five albums for the prestigious Muse Label. Moving to Highnote Records in 1997 he released 7 albums including his most popular Ain't Misbehavin' (2000), Thumbs Up (2001), Alone (2003), What's New (2005), and Somebody's Child (2007). He released the album "Steel City Blues" in 2010 on the Savoy Jazz label.

Jimmy Ponder passed away at age 67 from cancer on September 16, 2013. He was a working jazz guitarist for his entire adult life and an enormous influence on musicians both in his hometown of Pittsburgh and around the world.

He once said “God gave us this gift of music … if we play with 100% heart, soul and ability, reaching one person for one moment, we have honoured that gift and done our job.”

(Edited from Pittsburg Music History & Wikipedia)