Thread: Soul Train' host Don Cornelius found dead

Feb 01, 2012 10:18 AM CST

LOS ANGELES (RNN) - Don Cornelius, the creator and host of the television show Soul Train, was found dead in his Sherman Oaks, CA, home this morning.

A spokesman from the Los Angeles County Coroner's office said Cornelius, 75, likely died from a gunshot wound to the head. He said examiners had not looked at the body to confirm the cause of death or whether it had been self-inflicted, as reported by multiple news outlets.

The police discovered Cornelius around 4 a.m. PT at his Mulholland Drive residence. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead at 4:56 a.m., according to the coroner's office.

Soul Train was instrumental in bringing musical acts in R&B, soul and other genres to a larger audience, including Aretha Franklin. The show ran in syndication from 1974 to 2006.

Cornelius was the host from the show's inception until 1993.

Born Sept. 27, 1936, in Chicago, Cornelius worked as an insurance salesman before heading to broadcasting school in 1966. He also worked as a DJ and was a sports anchor for A Black's View of the News on WCIU in 1968.

Inspired by American Bandstand, Cornelius used $400 of his own money to create the pilot for Soul Train.

http://www.wafb.com/story/16649341/d...-of-soul-train

He ended each episode with the phrase "and you can bet your last money, it's all gonna be a stone gas, honey! I'm Don Cornelius, and as always in parting, we wish you love, peace and soul!"

Cornelius told a judge during his 2009 divorce proceedings that he wanted to "finalize this divorce before I die." He was reportedly suffering from significant health issues.

In a 2010 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Cornelius said he was in discussions with several people about developing a movie based on the show.

Fans of Cornelius and Soul Train expressed their feelings about the news via Facebook.

"[I] always loved that show," Tim Molthan wrote on the KCTV5 News page. "He was planning a movie about the show a couple of years ago to tell the story of real events that happened on the show. Now those stories are lost forever. RIP Don."

On the WSFA-TV Facebook wall, NcCole Means wrote that she "grew up on this show."

"You knew when you [had] Saturday house chores, because you would hear the sound of the train blasting thru your set," Means said. "He will be truly missed. Love Peace and Soullllllll."

I was shocked when I read this, this morning. Watched that show all the time growing up. RIP Don.

Don Cornelius' Suicide Reveals Troubled Life of 'Soul Train' Founder
ABC NewsBy Sheila Marikar | ABC News – 11 hrs ago

Don Cornelius' death from a self-inflicted gunshot wound has drawn new attention to the dark side of the "Soul Train" founder. Cornelius, 75, was plagued by health problems in the last three decades of his life. He underwent a 21-hour operation in 1982 to correct a congenital malformation in blood vessels in his brain. "You choose your brain surgeons for their stamina," he said afterwards, according to The Washington Post. "You're never quite the same afterward. Travel is always a real test."

His personal life also suffered. In 2008, he was arrested for felony domestic violence against his estranged wife, Victoria Avila-Cornelius. In 2009, he plead no contest to one count of "corporal injury resulting in traumatic condition of a spouse," was put on probation for 36 months, and ordered to pay over $1,000 in fines. She also filed multiple restraining orders against him.

But Cornelius' lasting legacy is his impact on diversifying pop culture and giving rise to a hugely influential group of black performers. Cornelius created "Soul Train" and hosted the show in national syndication from 1971 to 1993. It was the first real venue on American TV for soul music, and as the show's writer, producer, and emcee, Cornelius played a vital role in bringing stars like James Brown, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson to a wider audience.

He was known for the catchphrase with which he closed each episode: "I'm Don Cornelius, and as always in parting, we wish you love, peace and soul!"

"Soul Train" also spun off the Soul Train Music Awards and the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards. "Soul Train" went off the air in 2006.

Cornelius' colleagues have been quick to commemorate him. Aretha Franklin, who shot to fame in part because of "Soul Train," released a statement calling Cornelius' death "sad, stunning, and downright shocking … a huge and momentous loss to the African-American community and the world at large."

Smokey Robinson put out a statement saying Cornelius "brought exposure to black talent and a positive image to young black teenagers that had never been done before." Quincy Jones called his "friend, colleague, and business partner" a "visionary pioneer and a giant in our business."

"Before MTV there was Soul Train, that will be the great legacy of Don Cornelius," Jones said. "His contributions to television, music and our culture as a whole will never be matched. My heart goes out to Don's family and loved ones."

http://news.yahoo.com/don-cornelius-...-abc-news.html