Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 - August 16, 1977), known simply as Elvis and also marketed as 'The King of Rock 'n' Roll' or 'The King', was an American singer and actor. Presley started as a singer of rockabilly, borrowing many songs from rhythm and blues numbers and country standards. He was for some time the most commercially successful singer of rock and roll, but he also sang ballads, and then moved toward country music. The young Elvis has become an icon of modern American pop culture.