PoneBoy

Who is PoneBoy? You probably never heard of him…but you WILL. “Pone”, as he likes to be called, is a young and talented R&B singer/songwriter whose self- proclaimed mission is to restore R&B music to its glory days. And with his soon to be released CD entitled, “Situation” he may just be the one to do it. His music and sound is a collage of influences ranging from Michael Jackson to Kenny Loggins, from El DeBarge to Ambrosia. As a songwriter, he draws from an incredible array of influences that he uses to create his own style. With that, he brings a new and exciting flavor to today’s music that transcends genres. His unusual talent may be his ability to look at situations from unique perspectives and be able to write songs from his viewpoint in an innovative manner. Sort of like Picasso, who viewed the world differently and was able to express it on canvas as cubism. So too is the genius of PoneBoy!
Like so many other talented singers, Pone started his journey singing in church. It was there that his love for music and songwriting developed into a lifelong obsession. He continued to develop his vocal skills by joining and then leading his high school’s choir as the only tenor. He also sang with in a quartet in high school named; “Unique” which came very close to signing a major recording deal with Orpheus Records in New York City. After high school, he studied voice at the Hartford Conservatory of Music. Later, during his college years, he continued to sing in local groups and performed in nightclubs where he continued to develop his skills. After graduating college with a BFA, he moved to Honolulu, Hawaii where he caught the attention of local concert promoter, Matt Young. While singing in a local shopping mall, Young heard Pone singing and immediately approached him about joining a sextet named; Six Pack which he was forming. Pone joined where he shared the role of lead singer with JT the Smoove of Dallas, Tx. Together they sang for 3 years before sold out crowds of 10,000 plus on Oahu and the outer islands. Pone sang with Six Pack until the group disbanded in 1995. While in “SixPack”, he opened for Mega groups and performers such as: SWV, LoKey, Wrexx-N- Effect, Mad Cobra, and Kriss- Kross just to name a few. After “Six Pack” disbanded Pone returned to his home town of Hartford, Connecticut where he returned to his musical roots, the church. It was there that he met producer, Philip Weatherspoon. Weatherspoon helped take his career to the next level. Together they wrote and produced numerous songs for local and national acts including Multi platinum selling group, Dru Hill. Pone also wrote songs and collaborated with national Producers, Troy Oliver, Nnamdi Langley, and Silver Sergeant.
Now, PoneBoy is back in Hawaii where he is putting the finishing touches on his highly anticipated CD, “Situation”. This album which will be released on his own independent Label, Shodan Records, was penned entirely by him. It is a collection of hot Hip-Hop, R&B, Pop, and Club tracks that WILL deliver the hits!
So keep listening to your local radio stations, and when you hear that new song that you can’t and won’t want to get out of your head, it’s more than likely by an artist you’ve never heard of…but you will…PoneBoy!