Early life and education Ferguson was born in
Willow Springs, Missouri, the third son of John Carl and Mary Willie Boles Ferguson. His brothers were John Carl,
Alan Claude, and Paul Eugene. John Carl attended the
United States Naval Academy and graduated in 1944. Alan Claude became a renowned forest ranger. Paul Eugene, as an enlisted sailor, witnessed many Pacific Proving Grounds atomic tests while aboard the . The Fergusons have a rich legacy including ancestors whom participated in the
American Revolution. While in high school, Ferguson was a typesetter at the local newspaper, a fire tower lookout for the
U.S. Forest Service, and a member of the
Missouri State Guard during
World War II. After graduating from high school in 1945, he entered the
U.S. Army. He attained the rank of
sergeant and served as a
radioman for two winters in Alaska. He tested military equipment under Arctic conditions. He went on to study at
Southwest Missouri State University. After discharge from the Army, Ferguson went out West and worked for the U.S. Forest Service as a fire tower lookout and trail crew boss. He also worked as a laborer in the wheat fields and a typesetter for the newspaper in
Moses Lake, Washington. He led the Boy Scout Troop from that city to the
Boy Scout Jamboree at
Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, in 1950. Ferguson then entered
Washington State College,
Pullman, Washington, under the
G.I. Bill and earned a BS degree in Speech. He specialized in radio and television production. While in college, Ferguson joined a
Marine Forces Reserve unit. He was called to duty during the
Korean War (1950–1952). Ferguson served as a
drill instructor at
Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and producer of Marine training motion pictures.
Tennessee Game and Fish Commission From about 1955-1961, Ferguson worked at the Tennessee Game and Fish Commission, headquartered in Nashville, where he produced films for the agency. In 1959, Ferguson was to produce for the commission a 39 segment series on hunting, fishing, and wildlife subjects. In 1960, the North American Wildlife Conservation Association named his production
The World Outdoors the "Best Motion Picture of the Year."
The World Outdoors influenced many wildlife television shows, most notably ''
Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom'' series. While working there, Ferguson also started in the music business. In 1958 he wrote his first multi-million seller song "On the Wings of a Dove". It was recorded by
Ferlin Husky whom Ferguson met in
El Cajon, California. It has since been recorded by many artists and in many languages around the world. It was featured in the movie
Tender Mercies (1983), starring
Robert Duvall. In 1987, "Wings of a Dove" received
BMI's "One million airplays" Award. Performing with Husky, Ferguson played a character called Eli Possumtrout in
The Good Old Days, a motion picture produced by the Tennessee Game and Fish Commission.
Nashville record producer After graduation from college, Ferguson moved to
Nashville, Tennessee, as manager for
Ferlin Husky. The success of his song "On the Wings of a Dove" enabled Ferguson to turn full-time to music. He became a senior producer with
RCA Victor, where he helped create the
Nashville Sound of the 1950s and 1960s. He served as executive assistant to
Chet Atkins until his retirement. While there, he produced records, many in
RCA Studio A. He particularly worked with producing the acts of
Porter Wagoner, On September 25, 1997, the newly established hockey team, the
Nashville Predators, adopted the head of a saber-toothed tiger as their logo.
Final years and death After his retirement from RCA, Ferguson moved his family to live near the reservation of the
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians in
Philadelphia, Mississippi. He had worked in various capacities with the tribe since the 1950s. There he served as editor of the
Choctaw Times, and historian and audio- visual producer for the
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. In that role, he helped establish the Museum of the Southern Indian (Choctaw Museum) in 1981. He also worked part-time as promotional director of the
Chucalissa Prehistoric Indian Village in
Memphis, Tennessee. In 1983, he created the foundation for Choctaw Video Productions and created numerous tribal productions. In 1987, Ferguson established WHTV as local cable service for Pearl River/Philadelphia, Mississippi. He retired from that position in 1998, when he was also named Tribal Historian
Emeritus. He established the tribe's organic gardening program in 1978. Ferguson died of
cancer on Sunday, July 22, 2001 at 1:05 a.m. in the
University of Mississippi Medical Center in
Jackson, Mississippi. He was buried at Phillip's Cemetery in rural
Neshoba County near
Philadelphia, MS. ==Legacy and honors==