‘Soul Train’ Creator Don Cornelius Dead of Apparent Suicide

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Don Cornelius, who created the long-running R&B and dance-music showcase Soul Train, was found dead
in his home in Sherman Oaks, Clifornia, early this morning. He was 75.
Law enforcement officials suspected suicide; the body was found with a
gunshot wound to the head.

Trained as a journalist on WVON, an African-American talk radio station in his native Chicago, Cornelius conceived of Soul Train during the Civil Rights movement, noting there was no showcase for black music on national television. Soul Train debuted in 1971 and quickly became a popular stop for major acts such as James Brown, the O’Jays and Michael Jackson. Cornelius hosted the show from its inception until 1993; Soul Train ended its long run in its original form in 2006.