Arthur Smith | 'Dueling Banjos' writer, 93

Arthur Smith, 93, a trailblazing guitarist and banjoist who wrote and recorded "Guitar Boogie" and "Dueling Banjos," the latter heard in the movie

Deliverance,

and who influenced the Beatles, among many others, died last Thursday at his home in Charlotte, N.C.

Mr. Smith, who was equally adept on guitar, tenor banjo, mandolin, and violin, recorded "Guitar Boogie" in 1946 while stationed in Washington with the Navy. The composition, essentially a piano boogie-woogie played on a folk guitar, has been jokingly called "the record that launched a million guitar lessons."

"Feudin' Banjos," which Mr. Smith wrote and first recorded in 1955 as a banjo duet with Don Reno, was rechristened "Dueling Banjos" in the Oscar-nominated 1972 film Deliverance. He wanted his name credited on the soundtrack records but told Warner Brothers not to use his name in the movie credits because he found the film offensive.

Mr. Smith wrote or cowrote more than 500 compositions, including the 1955 cowboy ballad "The Red Headed Stranger," a signature song for Willie Nelson. - Washington Post