I cannot but wonder what lead Don Cornelius to commit suicide. Was he sick and did not want to take it anymore? Was he depressed? When someone with his success commits suicide it does make you wonder.
It is interesting but Don Cornelius’ program was even watched in Panama in Central America. When I moved to Austin I remember wondering why I could not find the the program in Austin even as we could see it in Panama. If I recall correctly, I eventually found it.
I did not learn about Don being more than an entertainer till way after he entertained us all. May he rest in peace.
Authorities: ‘Soul Train’ founder dead of gunshot wound – CNN.com
Los Angeles (CNN) — Don Cornelius, the founder of the “Soul Train” television show, was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head Wednesday, authorities said. He was 75.
Cornelius died of a gunshot wound at a house on Mulholland Drive, said Los Angeles police Officer Tenesha Dodine. Police responded to the call about 4 a.m. (7 a.m. ET), Dodine said.
Cornelius was pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, according to Lt. Larry Dietz of the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.
Los Angeles police investigators reported to the coroner that Cornelius died from a “self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head,” coroner’s Assistant Chief Ed Winter said. The coroner’s office will perform an autopsy to confirm the cause of death.
“Soul Train” creator Don Cornelius, shown here with Diana Ross in about 1970, died from a gunshot wound on Wednesday. He was 75. He was known for the catch phrase, “And as always in parting, we wish you love, peace and soul.” Here’s a look at Cornelius through the years.
Cornelius hosted “Soul Train” from its 1971 premiere through the early ’90s.
Shown here with the Rev. Jesse Jackson, from left, singer Smokey Robinson and TV personality Judge Greg Mathis, the “Soul Train” creator attended an event in December 2001.
According to the website biography.com, Cornelius, shown here at a 2004 event, created a pilot for “Soul Train” using $400 of his own money.
Cornelius posed with singer Usher at the 19th Annual Soul Train Music Awards in February 2005.
Cornelius was a presenter at the BET Awards in June 2009.
The Illinois native had a street named after him at Chicago’s Millennium Park in September 2011.Cornelius created a pilot for “Soul Train” using $400 of his own money, according to the website biography.com. The show was named after a promotional event he put together in 1969, the site said.
Music producer Quincy Jones expressed shock and deep sadness in a written statement to CNN.
“Don was a visionary pioneer and a giant in our business,” Jones said. “Before MTV there was ‘Soul Train,’ that will be the great legacy of Don Cornelius. His contributions to television, music and our culture as a whole will never be matched.”
The Rev. Al Sharpton, who said he appeared on “Soul Train” when he was 19 at the urging of his mentor James Brown, remained a friend to Cornelius for 38 years.
“He brought soul music and dance to the world in a way that it had never been shown and he was a cultural game changer on a global level,” Sharpton said. “Had it not been for Don Cornelius we would not have ever transcended from the Chitlin circuit to become mainstream cultural trendsetters.”
“Soul Train is the longest running, first-run, nationally syndicated program in television history,” according to the website of Soul Train Holdings. “During its 37-year run, the show featured such staples as the Soul Train line and performers as important and diverse as Al Green, Ike & Tina Turner, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Whitney Houston, David Bowie, Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson and Beyonce.”
In 2008, MadVision Entertainment and Intermedia Partners acquired “the iconic franchise and catalog of more than 1,100 hours of archival footage from Don Cornelius Productions,” the site said.
Cornelius once told Advertising Age he credited Dick Clark, host of “American Bandstand,” for teaching him “almost all of what I learned about mounting and hosting a dance show,” according to biography.com.
The show, which premiered in August 1970, showed teenagers dancing to the latest soul and R&B music as well as featuring guest performances.
Over the years, Cornelius presented many famous performers to “Soul Train’s” audience, including Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson, Lou Rawls and Aretha Franklin, biography.com said. However, the show did not always focus on soul and R&B music, featuring acts including David Bowie, Duran Duran and Robert Palmer, according to the site.
Authorities: ‘Soul Train’ founder dead of gunshot wound – CNN.com
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cedric brooks says
don cornelius was very out going man he knew what to do to draw the crowd i just ask god to bless his family let them be strong in their time of need i wish yall peace,love,and soul!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!