Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935–August 16, 1977), sometimes written Aron,a was an American singer,
musician and actor. He is a cultural icon, often known as "The King of Rock 'n' Roll", or simply "The
King". Health problems plagued Presley in later life which, coupled with a punishing tour schedule and
addiction to prescription medication, led to his premature death at age 42.

Presley began his career as one of the first performers of rockabilly, an uptempo fusion of country and
rhythm and blues with a strong back beat. His novel versions of existing songs, mixing "black" and
"white" sounds, made him popular—and controversial—as did his uninhibited stage and television
performances. He recorded songs in the rock and roll genre, with tracks like "Hound Dog" and "Jailhouse
Rock" later embodying the style. Presley had a versatile voice and had unusually wide success
encompassing other genres, including gospel, blues, ballads and pop. To date, he is the only performer to
have been inducted into four music halls of fame.

His American sales have earned him gold, platinum or multi-platinum awards for 150 different albums and
singles, far more than any other artist. Among his many awards and accolades were 14 Grammy nominations
(3 wins) from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award,
which he received at age 36, and his being named One of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation for
1970 by the United States Jaycees. Without any of the special privileges his celebrity status might have
afforded him, he honorably served his country in the U.S. Army.