The creative force behind platinum-selling hard rock combo Foreigner, guitarist/composer Mick Jones was born on December 27, 1944 in London. He first earned notice during the early '60s as a member of Nero and the Gladiators, best remembered for their hits Hall of the Mountain King and Entry of the Gladiators. Spending much of the decade to come as a songwriter and session player, in 1970 he joined ex-Spooky Tooth singer Gary Wright in Wonderwheel. Three years later, the twosome reformed Spooky Tooth before Jones relocated to New York City to work in A&R. After a stint with the Leslie West Band, he formed Foreigner in 1976 with multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald, tapping ex-Black Sheep frontman Lou Gramm to assume vocal duties; Jones and Gramm also began collaborating on songs, co-authoring the smash Cold as Ice from the band's best-selling 1977 eponymous debut LP. Foreigner proved inescapable in the years to follow, reeling off an impressive series of pop radio hits including Hot Blooded, Double Vision, Urgent, Waiting for a Girl Like You and the chart-topping power ballad I Want to Know What Love Is. While on hiatus from the group in 1986, Jones produced Van Halen's blockbuster 5150, three years later helming Billy Joel's Storm Front; Joel returned the favor, producing Jones' own 1989 self-titled solo debut. Despite losing Gramm to a solo career, Foreigner returned in 1991 with Unusual Heat; Gramm returned to the fold for 1993's Mr. Moonlight. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi