John Stafford Smith (1750-1836) was an English composer best known for writing the music that would later become the United States' national anthem. He was a member of the Anacreontic Society, a London-based gentlemen's club known for its musical and convivial gatherings. The society included notable figures such as Dr. Samuel Johnson, James Boswell, and Sir Joshua Reynolds. Smith composed the club's official song, "The Anacreontic Song," in 1773. This melody was later used by American lawyer Francis Scott Key, who added the lyrics in 1814 that eventually became "The Star-Spangled Banner," officially adopted as the national anthem of the United States in 1931.