Yes, as an active jazz listener around 1960 I recall that Cannonball was a great popularizer and would draw in people - as would Jimmy Smith - who would never listen to Sonny, and certainly not to Bird.
You said it for me, Peter. (Excuse the editing.)
Pleased to have caught Cannonball just after that period - in '65 with Nat, Chas Lloyd, Zawinul, Jones and Hayes.