The LA Times is reporting that Soul Train creator Don Cornelius was found dead in his home February 1, 2012 of a gunshot wound to the head. He was 75. The Los Angeles Police Department and L.A. County coroner’s office are investigating his death.
Don Cornelius, known for his smooth and iconic bass voice, was the host of Soul Train for nearly four whole decades, and in 2010 announced he was developing a movie project based on the show. He was born in Chicago in 1936, and in the late 60s pursued a career as a radio announcer by enrolling in broadcasting school even though he was told there would be no jobs available to him after he graduated.
He proved them wrong by completing his coursework in 3 months and was hired by Chicago’s most popular AM radio station at the time, WVON (Voice of the Negro). Within the year, he was promoted to disc jockey, but over the next two years became frustrated that he was being passed over for higher positions despite his popularity as DJ “Swing Man” in the local community. He pitched the idea of a black dance music show to Chicago TV station WCIU and filmed a pilot in the spring of 1970. It was picked up for national syndication and premiered in October 1971 and enjoyed 35 years of popularity with TV audiences until it ended in March 2006.
And although he’s not credited for it on IMDb.com, fans of the ’92 FOXKids animated series Eek! The Cat/Eek! Stravaganza will remember that Don guest-starred in animated form in the Season 3 episode “Shark Doggy Dog” which aired in 1994.
Although the content of the video below is copyrighted by FOX, we present it here for the sake of historic significance and in memoriam to the late Don Cornelius. We wish you peace, love and soul, Don.
Additional Source: ChancellorofSoul.com
