In 1961, Billboard magazine launched a chart ranking the top-performing songs in the United States which were considered to be "easy listening".
[3] Benton had achieved six chart-toppers on the R&B chart since 1959,[4] but "The Boll Weevil Song" would prove to be his only Easy Listening number one.
The longest-running Easy Listening number one of 1961 was "Big Bad John" by Jimmy Dean, which spent the final ten weeks of the year in the top spot.
[6] It was one of three songs to top the Hot 100 as well as the Easy Listening chart during the year, along with "Wooden Heart" by Joe Dowell and "Michael" by the Highwaymen.
[8][9] Moore, whose primary instrument was the bass guitar, was better known as a backing musician for other artists, including Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan.