Cover of a 1928 instructional book for ukulele by Roy Smeck, the "Wizard of the Strings."

Roy Smeck (born Ray Smeck, 6 February 1900 – 5 April 1994) was an American musician. His skill on the banjo, guitar, steel guitar, and especially the ukulele earned him the nickname "Wizard of the Strings." Ukulele The ukulele (pronounced , or the Anglicised ), or uke, is a fretted string instrument which is, in its construction, essentially a smaller, four-stringed version of the guitar. ... February 6 is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1900 (MCM) was an exceptional common year starting on Monday. ... April 5 is the 95th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (96th in leap years). ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal. // Events January Bill Clinton January 1 : North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) goes into effect. ... A musician is a person who plays or composes music. ... Old 6-string zither banjo For other uses, see Banjo (disambiguation) The banjo is a stringed instrument of African American origin, early or original examples sometimes being called the gourd banjo. Its name is commonly thought to be derived from the Kimbundu term mbanza. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A Dobro style resonator guitar Steel guitar, strictly speaking, refers to a method of playing using a metal slide (or steel) on a guitar played horizontally, with the strings uppermost. ... Ukulele The ukulele (pronounced , or the Anglicised ), or uke, is a fretted string instrument which is, in its construction, essentially a smaller, four-stringed version of the guitar. ...

Notable appearances

Opening title for the 1926 hit film "His Pastimes."

Born in Reading, Pennsylvania, Smeck started on the vaudeville circuit. His style was influenced by Eddie Lang, Ikey Robinson, banjoist Harry Reser, and steel guitarist Sol Hoopii. Smeck could not sing well, so he developed novelty dances and trick playing to supplement his act. City of Reading seal Reading (pronounced red - ing) is the county seat of Berks County, Pennsylvania. ... Vaudeville is a style of multi-act theatre which flourished in North America from the 1880s through the 1920s. ... Eddie Lang (October 25, 1902 – March 26, 1933) was a jazz guitarist, considered by many the finest of his era. ... Harry Reser was an American banjo player and bandleader, b 1896 in Ohio, d 1965 External link http://www. ... Sol Hoopii (1902 - November 16, 1953) was perhaps the most famous Hawaiian steel guitarist of the 20th century. ...

In 1926 he appeared in His Pastimes, one of the first sound films ever made by Warner Bros./Vitaphone. It made him an instant celebrity. A sound film (or talkie) is a motion picture with synchronized sound, as opposed to a silent movie. ... Warner Bros. ... Vitaphone was a sound film process used on several features and shorts produced by Warner Brothers in the late 1920s and early 1930s. ...

In 1932 he appeared in the film Club House Party with period singing star Russ Columbo. Ruggiero Eugenio di Rodolpho Colombo (January 14, 1908–September 1, 1934), better known by the name Russ Columbo, was an American singer, violinist and actor, most famous for his signature tune, Some Call It Madness, But I Call It Love, and the legend surrounding his early death. ...

In 1933 Paramount Pictures featured him in the first film incorporating multiple soundtracks. The screen was divided into four parts with Smeck playing steel guitar, tenor banjo, ukulele and six-string guitar simultaneously. The Paramount Pictures logo used since 2003. ... Soundtrack refers to the recorded sound accompanying a visual medium such as a motion picture, television show, or video game. ...

Smeck played at Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidential inaugural ball in 1932; George VI's coronation review in 1939; and toured globally. He appeared on television on variety shows hosted by Ed Sullivan, Steve Allen, and Jack Paar. FDR redirects here. ... George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George Windsor) (14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was the third British monarch using the name Windsor. ... The coronation of Empress Farah, of Iran in 1967. ... Ed Sullivan Edward Vincent Sullivan (September 28, 1901 – October 13, 1974) was an American entertainment writer and television host, best known as the emcee of a popular TV variety show that was at its height of popularity in the 1950s and 1960s. ... Steve Allen on the cover of Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion, and Morality Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen (December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000) was an American musician, comedian, and writer who was instrumental in innovating the concept of the television talk show. ... Jacques Harold Paar (May 1, 1918 – January 27, 2004) was an American radio and television talk show host. ...

Inventor and instructor

Smeck also invented the Vita-Uke and other stringed instruments marketed by the Harmony Company.

He made over 500 recordings for various companies, including Edison Records, Victor Talking Machine Company, Columbia Records, Decca Records, Crown Records, RCA Records and others. He wrote instruction/method books and arrangements. Edison Records was the first record label, pioneering recorded sound and an important player in the early record industry. ... The Victor Talking Machine Company (1901 - 1929) was a United States corporation, the leading American producer of phonographs and phonograph records and one of the leading phonograph companies in the world at the time. ... Columbia Records is the oldest continually used brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888. ... It has been suggested that Decca Music Group be merged into this article or section. ... Crown Records has been the name of at least four different record labels. ... Sony BMG Music Entertainment is the result of a 50/50 joint venture between Sony Music Entertainment (part of Sony) and BMG Entertainment (part of Bertelsmann AG) completed in August 2004. ...

Later life and recognitions

A 1983 documentary by Alan Edelstein and Peter Friedman featured Smeck. Wizard of the Strings, about Smeck and his career, won a mention for Merit at the 1984 Student Academy Awards. Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent film awards in the United States and most watched awards ceremony in the world. ...

Smeck died in New York City at age 94. He was posthumously inducted into the National Four-string Banjo Hall of Fame in 2001. Smeck's work is also featured in the Ukulele Hall of Fame Museum. [1] Flag Seal Nickname: Big Apple Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,214. ...

References

• Roy Smeck at the Internet Movie Database
• Staff report (April 8, 1994). Roy Smeck, Banjoist And Guitarist, 94. New York Times
• Roy Smeck biography via the National Four-String Banjo Hall of Fame Museum

The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about actors, films, television shows, television stars, video games and production crew personnel. ... April 8 is the 98th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (99th in leap years). ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal. // Events January Bill Clinton January 1 : North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) goes into effect. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ...

External links

• Smeck performing "Tiger Rag" via YouTube
• Vitaphone Presents Roy Smeck, The Wizard of the Strings via YouTube