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Jose Antonio Ponce is a writer, actor and musician living in New Mexico. He is author of six books; Modern Catholic Prayers, Killing Coyote, work@home , Lunch Hour, From Father to Son… and 53-Coming of Age in the 70s. He is associate film producer of the documentaries, Mariachi Spectacular and Lewie Wickham-A New Mexico Original and co-writer and co-producer of the 2018 music video Put My Mind at Ease and numerous performance videos.
Jose plays original Jazz, Blues, Americana, Pop and R&B is a member of the touring folk group, the Windsor Creek Trio and writes about music and the music industry.
Jose is producer of the New Mexico Music Awards, recognizing excellence in recorded music produced in New Mexico, promotes NM music and musicians nationally to film and television and provides free music and therapeutic songwriting workshops. Jose is a member of New Mexico Arts & the Military and is a recent New Mexico Music Commissioner and past president of the New Mexico Jazz Workshop.
For a more detailed resume and bio, go to http://joseantonioponce.com/bio-and-resume/
For writing samples, go one of the following links:
Music Greats-Local Flavor Magazine http://www.localflavormagazine.com/music-greats/
The Transaction-The Right Price for Marketplace/American Public Media https://www.marketplace.org/2015/04/01/transaction-right-price/
Learn more about the New Mexico Music Awards at http://newmexicomusicawards.com
Jose Antonio Ponce-A quick hit
What a life. Willis Alan Ramsey once trashed his hotel shower. Ice T admitted to him that he really didn’t like playing a cop. Bob Odenkirk offered him a day old donut and Eva Longoria asked him to teach her the lyrics to Las Manaintas.
A songwriter for forty-five years, Jose began his life in music, performing in clubs and coffeehouses at age 16. When he wasn’t on stage, he had to stand outside of nightclubs to avoid breaking the law. He could work in a bar, he just couldn’t hang there.
At age 17, he sold his first song for $500.00.
At age 18, Jose was hired to load in sound equipment for a Jefferson Airplane concert. Concert promoter Bill Graham hired him to “keep people off of the stage” as security for the remainder of the tour. During off time, he swapped tunes with band members Jack Casaday and Jorma Kaukonen.
In 1975, Jose worked briefly as a road manager for the Led Zepplin North America tour, setting up and taking down concert venues with one of two sound and lighting crews. He then went to work on the original Outlaw tour with Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.
Jose continued to write and sell music and commercial jingles. At age 20, he was introduced to jazz which changed his perspective on music and stopped playing rock and folk to concentrate on jazz and acoustic music. He played jazz bass and guitar in small clubs around the country, introducing himself to jazz masters like Milt Hinton, Ray Brown, Zoot Simms, Peter Appleyard, Lou Soloff, Howard Ellis, Art Pepper, Dexter Gordon and many more. He played with anyone who would have him.
In 1980, he was cast for the first time in the TV mini-series “Wild Times” when a casting director saw him sitting in a bar in Santa Fe and thought he had the perfect “crazy mean psychotic bastard” look. His experience spurred Jose to write about the movies for a few national magazines.
In 1986, Jose took a job as an on air personality and record promoter. In 1988, he volunteered for the newly formed New Mexico Music Industry Coalition. In 2005, he became owner and producer and re-christened it the New Mexico Music Awards. In 1990, he joined the national folk group the Windsor Creek Trio and continues to tour with the band as its bassist.
Jose has hundreds of stories from a lifetime in music and film, from breakfast with Brenda Russell to dinner with Barry White. With over 1500 songs in his repertoire, he can play anything, country, jazz, blues, folk and more. Jose’s shows are entertaining and crowd pleasing.
Jose continues to write and sell his music to national and international artists. You can still see him in the occasional film or TV show. He has written several books and co-produced a number of music documentaries. Through his company, the New Mexico Music Awards, he works to promote New Mexico musicians as artists and to film and television.
