George Harvey Strait Sr. is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, music producer, and rancher.
Strait has sold over 120 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. He holds the RIAA record for most certified albums by any artist, with 33 albums that are certified platinum or gold. Considering singles and albums, he has a total of 20 multi-platinum, 33 platinum and 24 gold certifications. According to the RIAA, Strait is the 12th best-selling album recording artist in the United States overall selling over 70 million records across the United States.
He is credited for pioneering the neotraditional country style in the 1980s, famed for his authentic cowboy image and roots-oriented sound at a time when the Nashville music industry was dominated by country pop crossover acts. Given his influence on the genre, Strait has been nicknamed the "King of Country Music" by writers and music critics. He currently holds the record for the most (60) number one songs on all charts by an artist, in any genre of music, including a record 44 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.