Jay Ferguson

• Genre: Lite Rock

About

Most recently Jay Ferguson penned the theme song for the American version of The Office, but in the '60s and '70s Ferguson was a driving force in both the oft-undervalued prog rock band Spirit and one-hit wonders Jo Jo Gunne ("Run, Run, Run"). Most important, however, is Ferguson's monumental summer anthem, "Thunder Island," a major hit in 1978 and an enduring example of the best FM radio had to offer as far as genuine pop rock in the 1970s. Though he recorded a total of six solo albums -- and despite frequent guest appearances from his pal Joe Walsh -- Ferguson never managed to reprise the success he had with "Thunder Island," and he made the switch from rock performance to soundtrack composition following the birth of his daughter in 1982.

- Mike McGuirk