Don Cornelius

Don Cornelius (born September 27, 1936, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.—died February 1, 2012, Los Angeles, California) was an American television host and producer best known for creating, producing, and hosting the music and dance television show Soul Train (1970–2006). The program featured up-and-coming musicians, many of whom gained their first national exposure on the show, and youthful African American fashions, hairstyles, and dance moves.

Early life

Cornelius was born in Chicago to Carter Cornelius, a postal service worker, and Thelma (née Booth) Cornelius, a homemaker. After graduating from DuSable High School in 1954, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps, serving in the Korean War for 18 months. He returned to Chicago in 1956 and worked several different jobs, from tire salesman to police officer.

Broadcasting career and Soul Train

Cornelius began his broadcasting career in 1966, working as a disc jockey, announcer, and news reporter for the radio station WVON. He moved on to television, hosting the news and sports program A Black’s View of the News on the Chicago station WCIU, starting in 1967. Additionally, he promoted a series of concerts and dance parties featuring Chicago-area musicians that toured local high schools—tours that he called “The Soul Train.” As these concerts became popular, Cornelius was able to convince WCIU that the dance-party concept would work well as a television show.

Cornelius used his own funds to create a pilot for the show, Soul Train, which was patterned after the popular teen television program American Bandstand (1952–89), which featured musicians and dancers performing to popular music. Soul Train debuted on August 17, 1970, in Chicago. The show featured young adults and teens dancing to hit soul music, rhythm-and-blues, and funk songs and performances by local musicians, such as the R&B quartet the Chi-Lites and the soul group the Emotions. It was produced in hour-long segments on weekday afternoons and became a local television hit. In 1971 Cornelius moved the show to Los Angeles, where it was broadcast nationally and began showcasing popular musical acts such as the R&B group Gladys Knight & the Pips and soul singer Eddie Kendricks. Soul Train brought national exposure to numerous influential musicians, including Michael Jackson, Prince, Aretha Franklin, and James Brown. The show also introduced a dance called the “Soul Train Line,” which featured two dancers strutting down the space together between two lines of dancers alongside, showcasing their best dance moves. Musical performers and dancers were the focus of Soul Train, and Cornelius served as its hip master of ceremonies, bringing style and dignity to the show and closing every episode with his signature sign-off: “We wish you love, peace, and soul.”

Cornelius retired as host of Soul Train in 1993 but continued to produce new installments until 2006. It was one of the longest-running syndicated programs in American television history. The show was commemorated in a 2010 television documentary, Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America. Cornelius produced several successful annual specials, including the Soul Train Music Awards (1987–2007). In addition to his work on Soul Train, he appeared in films and television projects, including the musical comedy films Roadie (1980) and Tapeheads (1988) and the mockumentary television movie Jackie’s Back! (1999).

Cornelius suffered health and personal difficulties in his later years. He pleaded no contest to a charge of domestic violence in 2009, and he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 2012.