Don Cornelius
| Don Cornelius | |
|---|---|
Don Cornelius at the 40th anniversary event for Soul Train.
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| Born |
Donald Cortez Cornelius September 27, 1936 Bronzeville, Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | February 1, 2012 (aged 75) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Suicide by gunshot |
| Body discovered | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, U.S. |
| Residence | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Education | DuSable High School |
| Occupation | Television host, producer |
| Years active | 1966–2011 |
| Known for | Creator of Soul Train WVON home station |
| Home town | Douglas, Chicago, Illinois |
| Spouse(s) | Delores Harrison (1956 – ?) 2 children Viktoria Chapman (also known as Viktoria Avila-Cornelius; December 2001 – ?) (divorced) |
| Children | Anthony and Raymond (first marriage) |
Donald Cortez "Don" Cornelius (September 27, 1936 – February 1, 2012) was an American television show host and producer who was best known as the creator of the nationally syndicated dance and music show Soul Train, which he hosted from 1971 until 1993. Eventually Cornelius sold the show to MadVision Entertainment in 2008.
Cornelius was born on Chicago's South Side on September 27, 1936, and raised in the Bronzeville neighborhood. After graduating from DuSable High School in 1954, he joined the United States Marine Corps and served 18 months in Korea. He worked at various jobs following his stint in the military, including selling tires, automobiles, and insurance, and as an officer with the Chicago Police Department. He quit his day job to take a three-month broadcasting course in 1966, despite being married with two sons and having only $400 in his bank account. In 1966, he landed a job as an announcer, news reporter and disc jockey on Chicago radio station WVON.
Cornelius joined Chicago television station WCIU-TV in 1967 and hosted a news program called A Black's View of the News. In 1970, he launched Soul Train on WCIU-TV as a daily local show. The program entered national syndication and moved to Los Angeles the following year.Eddie Kendricks, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Bobby Hutton and Honey Cone were featured on the national debut episode.
Originally a journalist and inspired by the civil rights movement, Cornelius recognized that in the late 1960s there was no television venue in the United States for soul music. He introduced many African-American musicians to a larger audience as a result of their appearances on Soul Train, a program that was both influential among African-Americans and popular with a wider audience. As writer, producer, and host of Soul Train, Cornelius was instrumental in offering wider exposure to black musicians such as James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Michael Jackson, as well as creating opportunities for talented dancers, setting a precedent for popular television dance programs. Cornelius said, "We had a show that kids gravitated to," and Spike Lee described the program as an "urban music time capsule".
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