Ivan Kral, a Czech-born musician whose integral role in the Patti Smith Group, along with his work as a filmmaker who chronicled the earliest days of the CBGB scene, made him a key figure in New York’s creative underground of the 1970s, died on Sunday at his home in Ann Arbor, Mich. He was 71.

His wife, Cindy Hudson, said the cause was cancer.

Mr. Kral also played in an early incarnation of Blondie and worked with Iggy Pop, John Cale, John Waite and Noel Redding, the former bassist with the Jimi Hendrix Experience, either co-writing songs for them or contributing bass, guitar or keyboard parts to recordings by them.

A romantic song he wrote with Ms. Smith, “Dancing Barefoot,” was covered by myriad acts, including U2, Pearl Jam and Simple Minds. A throbbing new wave piece he wrote with Iggy Pop in 1981, “Bang Bang,” was covered by David Bowie six years later on his album “Never Let Me Down.”

On Monday, Iggy Pop posted a tribute on Twitter: “Dear Ivan, you were a great guitarist/writer, a handsome guy, a true rock believer, and a great credit to me and the Czech Republic.”