Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as John Denver, was an American country and folk singer, songwriter, and actor. He was one of the most popular acoustic artists of the 1970s and among the best-selling artists of that decade. AllMusic described him as "among the most beloved entertainers of his era." Denver recorded and released approximately 300 songs, around 200 of which he wrote himself. He released 33 albums and singles that were certified gold or platinum in the United States, with estimated sales exceeding 33 million copies.