Jimmy Ponder
Jimmy Ponder (May 10, 1946 – September 16, 2013) was an American jazz guitarist.

Career
When Ponder's brother entered the military, he left his guitar, and Ponder picked it up. In his early teens he received lessons from the guitarist in a band for which he sang doo-wop. He was drawn to the jazz guitar he heard on the radio. While playing in a rhythm and blues band, he occasionally inserted a jazz solo. He considered hearing guitarist Thornel Schwartz an important part of his life, when Schwartz was playing with organist Jimmy McGriff. He was impressed by Pat Martino when he saw Martino in the Jack McDuff band. He also cited as influences George Benson, Kenny Burrell, and Rene Thomas, though none surpassed the impact of seeing Wes Montgomery.He learned the guitar solo from "Daily Double" (Quaker Town), the first 45 rpm single released by Charles Earland. When Earland performed in Pittsburgh, he invited Ponder to sit-in with the band and liked what he heard. Earland promised Ponder he could become a member of the band after he finished high school. Six months after graduating, he was hired by Earland.He began playing with Earland at 17 and in the following years with Lou Donaldson, Houston Person, Donald Byrd, Stanley Turrentine, and Jimmy McGriff. He moved to Philadelphia and later New York City in the 1970s and recorded extensively as a leader. 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. Ponder's highest charting release was Somebody's Child, which reached No. 3 on the JazzWeek airplay chart in 2007.
Ponder died of lung cancer in Pittsburgh at the age of 67 in September 2013.

Discography
As leader
While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Cadet, 1974)
Illusions (ABC Impulse!, 1976)
White Room (ABC Impulse!, 1977)
All Things Beautiful (LRC, 1978)
Seven Minds (America, 1979) – released in France only
Ponder'n (51 West, 1981)
Down Here on the Ground (Milestone, 1984)
So Many Stars (Milestone, 1985)
Mean Streets – No Bridges (Muse, 1987)
Jump (Muse, 1989) – recorded in 1988
Come On Down (Muse, 1991) – recorded in 1990
To Reach a Dream (Muse, 1991) – recorded in 1988–89
Jimmy Ponder: Sonny Lester Collection (LRC, 1991) – compilation
Soul Eyes (Muse, 1995)– recorded in 1991
Something to Ponder (Muse, 1996)– recorded in 1994
James Street (HighNote, 1997)
Steel City Soul (32 Jazz, 1998) – compilation of Muse material
Guitar Christmas (HighNote, 1998)
Ain't Misbehavin'  (HighNote, 2000) – recorded in 1998
Thumbs Up (HighNote, 2001)
Alone (HighNote, 2003) – recorded in 2000
What's New (HighNote, 2005) – recorded in 2002
Somebody's Child (HighNote, 2007)
Live at 'The Other End'  (Explore, 2007) – live recorded in 1982

As sideman
References
External links
Pittsburgh Music History