Denson was born in Rienzi, Mississippi, but grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, where his family relocated when he was a baby.
[3][4] The b-side of the single was "New Shoes",[3] which featured guitar work by Eddie Cochran, who Denson had met while on tour in California.
Although most of his recordings were rock and roll, he retained an interest in gospel music, and wrote "Miracle of the Rosary", based on the hymn "Ave Maria", offering the song to Presley when the two met.
[10] Despite his Pentecostal background, in 1964 Denson became a Catholic, the faith of his wife Mary, which strongly influenced this composition.
They both became active in the Catholic apostolate known as the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima, even leading some pilgrimages to the Portuguese Marian shrine.