When James Brown appeared on Soul Train, he pulled Don Cornelius to the side and  asked him “Who’s backing you?” Don Cornelius replied “No One”. James Brown couldn’t fathom it. During an era where the black man was the face, and the white man was the backing, Don Cornelius owned his own show Soul Train…The first black man to do so. It wasn’t until 2008 that he sold the show to MadVision. 37 years of Peace, Love and Soul (Don’s signature catch phrase, which he shouted joyfully at the end of each episode). After the civil rights movement, Mr. Cornelius realized there was no show, that was for the people and by the people. His show that started as a local public access show, would bring Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Michael Jackson and countless others, into living rooms across the country, and further strengthen the popularity of Soul Music.

Soul Train, spanned generations, and you could just as easily catch Michael Mcdonald, as Rick James, performing while the latest dance moves were being showcased. Everyone who watched Soul Train, had their favorite dancer. It seemed watching the re-runs were just as entertaining, as you could see the fashions, and hear the sounds of  times that were past.

Don Cornelius, a news reader and backup Dj at Chicago radio station WVON and was hired by WCIU in 1967 as a news and sports reporter. In his spare time from the station Cornelius also was promoting and emceeing a touring series of concerts featuring local talent (sometimes called “record hops”) at Chicago-area high schools, calling his travelling caravan of shows “The Soul Train”. The “Soul Train” caught the eyes of WCIU-TV took and in 1970, allowed him the opportunity to bring his  show to television.

Chicago based retailer Sears and Roebuck gave Don Cornelius the sponsorship he needed and, Soul Train premiered on WCIU-TV on August 17, 1970, as a live show airing weekday afternoons. The first episode of the program featured Jerry Butler, the Chi Lites, and the Emotions as guests.

Soul Train proved succesful immediately, and was sponsored for national syndication by the Jonhson Products company who targeted the African American Audience with “Afro Sheen” (a hair-care product). Seven cities, Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco purchased the program, which began airing on a weekly basis on Cotober 2, 1971. By the end of the first season, seventeen other markets followed. Once syndicated, Soul Train moved from Chicago to Los Angeles. Though Don Cornelius moved his operations west, Soul Train continued in Chicago as a local program. Cornelius hosted the local Chicago and Los Angeles-based national programs simultaneously, but soon focused his attention solely on the national edition. He continued to oversee production in Chicago, where Clinton Ghent hosted episodes on WCIU-TV until 1976, followed by three years of once-weekly reruns.

In 1993 after 22 years of hosting the show, Don Cornelius took a back seat and remained the creative force of the show up until the shows ending in 2006. Soul Train even had a spin off  The Soul Train Awards, and Don Cornelius continued to promote and expand, African American music and musicians, in a respectful and honorable fashion.

There will never be another Don Cornelius, who in an age, where African Americans were barely allowed to drink out of the same water fountains as their white counter parts, went Hollywood, and presented the best in African American talent in many genres, from Disco to Soul to not just Black America, but to all of America.

May Don Cornelius Rest In Peace Love and Soul!

Don Cornelius Dances on Soul Train

The Jackson 5 performing I want you back on Soul Train

Michael Mcdonald on Soul Train