Music Commission Secretary José Ponce
Music Background
- Professional Musician
- Member, Windsor Creek Trio
Administrative Background
- Producer, New Mexico Music Awards
- Co-founder, Eric Larson Endowment
- Secretary, New Mexico Music Commission
Hometown
Springer, Colfax County
Residence
Albuquerque, Bernalillo County
Appointment
2005 by Governor Richardson
Term
5 August 2020 ~ 6 May 2022 by Governor Lujan Grisham
Committees
County Liaison
- Chaves
- Lea
Bio
Ponce has been a working musician since the age of 18. He is the third of five children of parents Jesus “Chuy” Ponce and the former Margarita Padilla and a lifelong resident of New Mexico. The singer/songwriter has been producer of the New Mexico Music Awards (NMMA) since 2005, championing over three decades of excellence in recorded music within the state of new Mexico. He currently lives in Albuquerque and tours as a solo artist and as a member of the group the Windsor Creek Trio. Other accomplishments include his work as a filmmaker, author, actor, and as co-founder with his wife Kathy, of the Eric Larson Endowment at the University of New Mexico.
Commissioner Ponce conducts free music and marketing-related workshops through the NMMA for musicians, writers, and filmmakers around the state, with sessions in Clovis, Gallup, Ruidoso, Roswell, Silver City, Las Vegas, Santa Fe, Taos, and Albuquerque. He produces Therapeutic Songwriting workshops for veterans dealing with Post Traumatic Stress and works with the New Mexico Arts in the Military program supporting veterans’ art programs. Filmmakers use him as a resource for musicians in film productions throughout New Mexico.
Creative Examples
These examples cite Ponce’s work as a music industry professional in the private sector.
Put My Mind At Ease is about Felix Rodriguez’s experience returning from Vietnam in 1968. Composed by Felix, fellow veterans Duke Weddington, Daniel Jonsen, and Commissioner Ponce. Performed by Duke’s band Higher Ground Bluegrass. Duke produced copies of the song and distributes them for free at all of their shows.
My Baby Likes To Drive Fast ft. Commissioner Ponce, Larry Mitchell, Maud Beenhower, Joe Gable, Greg Overman.
Wayfaring Stranger by Windsor Creek Trio.
These Are Not My Stars is a song inspired by a veteran in Commissioner Ponce’s songwriting workshops who was deployed to Afghanistan.