Jack Ponti, a producer and songwriter who labored with Bon Jovi and Alice Cooper, has died. The New Jersey-based musician was 66.

An obituary from his hometown of Red Bank, New Jersey, notes that he died on Oct. 7 and “while widely recognized for his musical genius, it was his boundless love for his family, generosity of spirit and fierce loyalty that truly defined him.”

Ponti was born Giacomo Pontoriero in Newark on Feb. 16, 1958, and began his profession in music within the New Jersey space in the course of the late ’70s, when he performed guitar in a band referred to as the Rest, which included a pre-fame Jon Bon Jovi as its singer.

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In a 2005 interview with Metal Sludge, Ponti mentioned that Southside Johnny and the E Street Band had been supporters of his band, however nothing ever got here of it. He added {that a} demo produced by Billy Squier additionally went nowhere. (“I owe a giant f— you to Billy Squier for making us round up $3,000 for him to produce our demo and then, after he made it big, told me and Jon to stop bothering him,” Ponti recalled to Metal Sludge.)

What Records Did Jack Ponti Work On?

Ponti stayed in contact along with his previous Rest bandmate, cowriting the track “Shot Through the Heart” from Bon Jovi’s self-titled debut album in 1984. For the following decade, Ponti helped write songs for Alice Cooper, Keel, Nelson, Kane Roberts, Trixter and others.

In addition to cowriting songs for Babylon A.D. and Bonfire throughout this similar interval, Ponti produced albums for Louisiana rock band Baton Rouge, Canadian steel band Kittie, Los Angeles meta group Otep and German steel singer Doro Pesch.

Ponti additionally labored with Skid Row earlier than they signed a report deal. By 1991, he retired from the music enterprise earlier than returning 5 years later because the supervisor of R&B singer India.Arie, whose 2001 debut album, Acoustic Soul, was nominated for seven Grammy Awards.

He continued to work behind the scenes as a supervisor and label govt till his dying. “Jack had a rare ability to make people feel seen and valued, whether in the music studio or at home,” the obituary famous. “His generosity extended beyond his family, as he was always ready to offer advice, lend a hand or simply bring laughter to those around him. His warmth and wisdom will continue to resonate through the countless lives he touched, long after the music fades.”