Community Corner

'Soul Train' Creator Don Cornelius Dies In Apparent Suicide

Found dead in L.A. home of apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound

Don Cornelius, the creator and longtime host of the groundbreaking music show ‘Soul Train,' has died. He was 75.

According to the Los Angeles Times, police arrived at Cornelius’ Sherman Oaks home around 4 a.m. and found him dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

A radio news announcer by trade, Cornelius began moonlighting at WCIU-TV in the 1960s. While there, he toyed with the idea of creating an African-American version of "American Bandstand," Dick Clark's influential music show, with live dancing five days a week. On August 17, 1970, the first episode of Soul Train premiered on the station, and by the following year, it was being syndicated in other markets.

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"Soul Train" became the longest-running nationally syndicated show in history, airing from 1971 through 2006. Cornelius held down the hosting duties for most of that run, before stepping away in 1993. He remained as the program's executive producer and expanded the brand into an annual awards show.

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