The third child of Harold and Beverly Poneman, Jonathan Poneman was born October 9, 1959 in Toledo, Ohio and grew up in the suburb of Ottawa Hills. He got his first job, pumping gas at a local filling station at the age of 14. After being kicked out of high school in 11th grade, Poneman moved to Scottsdale, Arizona and graduated from Arcadia High School in 1977. He moved to Washington in the same year.
In 1983, Poneman began volunteering at the University of Washington's student-run radio station, KCMU, a forerunner to KEXP, and important champion of local independent music. Mark Arm of Mudhoney, photographer Charles Peterson, Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil, and Poneman's eventual business partner Bruce Pavitt also worked regular air shifts at the station.
At a 1985 KCMU benefit show Poneman had booked, he first saw Soundgarden perform at the Rainbow Tavern near the University of Washington and was especially impressed by the band's singer, Chris Cornell.

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