Farid al-Atrash, or in French spelling Farid El-Atrache, (Arabic: فريد الأطرش‎; October 19, 1910 – December 26, 1974) was a Syrian-Egyptian composer, singer, virtuoso oud player, and actor. Having immigrated to Egypt in childhood, Farid embarked on a highly successful career spanning more than four decades — recording 500 songs and starring in 31 movies. Sometimes referred to as 'King of the Oud', he is one of the most important figures of 20th Century Arab music.