Musician, Actor.  Born Hubert Paul Flatt, he began his career singing and playing harmonica on a local radio show and later went on to perform with Stuart Hamblen, the Beverly Hill Billies (not to be confused with the later TV show of the same name) and The Ranch Boys before becoming a member of The Sons of the Pioneers along with Roy Rogers. Among films he appeared in were ‘Man From Music Mountain’ (1943), ‘Cowboy and the Senorita’ (1944), ‘Man From Oklahoma’ (1945), and ‘Rainbow Over Texas’ (1946).  In 1948, Carson was chosen to be the voice of the Wise Old Owl in Disney’s animated ‘So Dear To My Heart’ and sang “County Fair”, “It’s What You Do With What You Got” and “Stick-To-It-Ivity”. Later that year, he also appeared with the Pioneers in the Disney live-and-animated film ‘Melody Time’. From 1950 through 1957, he was featured on television’s ‘The Garry Moore Show’ and also recorded for various labels, sang commercials and appeared as a cast member in other TV shows. In 1972, Carson was invited to the White House to perform at the wedding of then-president Richard Nixon’s daughter, Tricia, where he sang a song he composed, “From Now Until The End of Time”.  Carson, who as a member the Pioneers was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1980, died from Lou Gehrig’s disease. (bio by: Louis M.)