Formed in 1947 in Chester, Pennsylvania, Bill Haley and His Comets began their career playing country and western music. The band's early sound was characterized by Haley's vocal style, which was heavily influenced by country and swing music. Their first single, "Honky Tonk Rag" (1948), was a country-tinged instrumental that showcased the band's early style. Over the next few years, they released several more singles, including "Rocking Chair on the Moon" (1952) and "Blue Suede Shoes" (1954), which was a cover of Carl Perkins' classic song.