Don Cornelius Dead??

[muzicmuse44]

It is 9:32 a.m here on the east coast USA and Tom Joyner just reported that Don Cormnelius was discovered dead in LA, possible suicide; hope it's not true.

[everett552]

I'm afraid it is. I just saw it in the "Breaking News" section in the Chicago Tribune. So sad. Rest in peace Mr. Cornelius. As he would say after the end of each show "We give you love, peace and sooooooul! Thanks for making our lives a little brighter.

[glencro]

Wow, just heard this on the news from a self inflicted gun shot wound. Everett552, you are right. Soul Train definitely made my life a whole lot brighter...shocked, but rest in peace.

[nysister]

Just heard on 98.7 Kiss. I am so sad......Just saw him commenting on Full Force Unsung episode. Thank you Don for the Love, Peace and Sooooooul every Saturday morning at 11:00.

[glencro]

This article says that a "Soul Train" movie was possibly in the works....MAN!!! http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lano...t-suicide.html

[jillfoster]

Yes, unfortunately it's true. He gave us alot of joy, didn't he?

[jtf1972]

Damn damn damn.

Rest in love, peace & soul, Mr. Cornelius...


This article is really creepy now: http://www.bvnewswire.com/2009/07/20...-ready-to-die/

[RossHolloway]

Tragic loss.

[REDHOT]

Really sad news. R.I.P Mr.Cornelius.

[paladin]

Rest in peace Don...........

[chidrummer]

Unbelievable, but it's seems to be true. Such a tragic loss, truly heartbreaking

http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/stop-th...152756913.html

[marv2]

I just heard the sad news on MSNBC and unfortunately it is true.

[arrr&bee]

Another part of our youth is gone,one of the best parts..thank you don cornelius for providing wonderful entertainment thank enriched our lives...r.i.p.

[tom_moulton]

He Certainly added a lot to our lives and helped elevate soul music where we all had a much better understanding of it. One Classy Guy. RIP Don

[P-Shark: The Revenge]

Shocking. Just last night he was on the Full Force episode of UNSUNG.

[daddyacey]

Wow...... Such a tragic loss . R.I.P. Mr Cornelius.
Love, Peace and Sooooooul .................................................. .....

[P-Shark: The Revenge]

What a way to start Black History Month

Don Cornelius, ‘Soul Train’ Creator, Is Dead

By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr.

Published: February 1, 2012

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Don Cornelius, the producer and television host who created the dance show “Soul Train,” was found shot dead in his Los Angeles home early Wednesday morning in what appears to be a suicide, the Los Angeles Police Department and the county coroner’s office said. He was 75 years old.

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Don Cornelius hosting "Soul Train" in the 1970s.



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Exporting Soul

“Soul Train,” hosted and produced by Don Cornelius, offered important exposure to many notable African-American acts.

Aretha Franklin

The Jackson 5

James Brown

Marvin Gaye

Rick James

Barry White

Gladys Knight and the Pips

DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince




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Don Cornelius in 2006.


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A person called the police from Mr. Cornelius’s house on Mulholland Drive in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood just before 4 a.m. and reported shots had been fired, a police spokesman, Chris No, said. When officers arrived, they were let into the house and found Mr. Cornelius lying lifeless on the floor with a gunshot wound to the head that appeared to be self-inflicted, said the Los Angeles County assistant chief coroner, Ed Winter.
Mr. Cornelius was taken to Cedar-Sinai Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 4:56 a.m., Mr. Winter said. “It was reported as a suicide, a self-inflicted wound,” he said. “I have investigators at the hospital.”
“Soul Train” was one of the longest-running syndicated shows in television history and played a critical role in spreading the music of black America to the world, offering wide exposure to musicians like James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson in the 1970s and 1980s.
“I am shocked and deeply saddened at the sudden passing of my friend, colleague and business partner Don Cornelius,” said Quincy Jones, according to the Associated Press. “Don was a visionary pioneer and a giant in our business. 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. My heart goes out to Don’s family and loved ones.”
Mr. Cornelius, a former disc jockey, created the show in 1970 in Chicago on WCIU-TV and served as its writer, producer and host. Quickly becoming a success, the show was broadcast nationally in 1971, beginning its 35-year run. Besides the performers, the program showcased young dancers who would strut their stuff, laying the groundwork for countless dance programs, including current hits like Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance” and MTV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew.” “We had a show that kids gravitated to,” Mr. Cornelius said.
In a 2010 interview with The Los Angeles Times, Mr. Cornelius said he was excited about a movie project he was developing about the show. “We’ve been in discussions with several people about getting a movie off the ground. It wouldn’t be the ‘Soul Train’ dance show. It would be more of a biographical look at the project,” he said. “It’s going to be about some of the things that really happened on the show.”
Mr. Cornelius stopped hosting the show in 1993, and “Soul Train” ceased production in 2006. Two years later, he sold the show to MadVision Entertainment

[jboy88]

I'm not sure what i'm more saddened about, the fact that he died or the fact that he killed himself! What demons could he of possibly had to drive him to it. We all loved him and he had so much of an impact on not only Soul music, but on the world as a whole.

[marv2]

It is 9:32 a.m here on the east coast USA and Tom Joyner just reported that Don Cormnelius was discovered dead in LA, possible suicide; hope it's not true.

It has not been determined whether or not it was suicide. Witnesses heard multiple gunshots. Suicide takes only one.

[stephanie]

The hippest trip in America just ended today. I was so shocked to hear this I thought about it all day long and what an ICON this man was and still is. The Soul Train Scramble board, Ultra Sheen, Afro Sheen, Tower of Power, James Brown and all of the guests he had. He made us blacks feel proud to be on television. RIP Don!

[rta5225]

I was on my way to the health food store an heard it on the radio on an oldies station I listen to. They played that Soul Train song and mentioned it. I was shocked to say the least! Here's the article I found on Google. I believe it's the same article as someone posted above. God, I am stunned.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/02/arts/music/don-cornelius-soul-train-creator-is-dead-at-75.html

[StuBass1]

I'm not sure what i'm more saddened about, the fact that he died or the fact that he killed himself! What demons could he of possibly had to drive him to it. We all loved him and he had so much of an impact on not only Soul music, but on the world as a whole.

Certainly not intending to cast a negative light on the unfortunate passing of a talented and iconic music legend, but to address the question you ask, I can speak with some personal knowledge of Don Cornelius reputation for having a volatile temper, with fits of rage during recording sessions and elsewhere. He was diagnosed several years back with a brain aneurism and treated for that, which I assumed could have been responsible for the accounts I had been told from firsthand sources of his behaviour at times. Apparently he had personal issues which for the most part publicly remained below the radar, but were well known to people who had worked with him on a regular basis which may or may not explain this tragic set of circumstances. Despite all that, Don accomplished so much I his lifetime and hoping he is resting in peace and his exposing so many talents to the broader world of music and media should indeed be celebrated.

[soulster]

The hippest trip in America just ended today. I was so shocked to hear this I thought about it all day long and what an ICON this man was and still is. The Soul Train Scramble board, Ultra Sheen, Afro Sheen, Tower of Power, James Brown and all of the guests he had. He made us blacks feel proud to be on television. RIP Don!

I could not have said it better myself.

I remember that when Soul Train came on, the whole family would gather around and watch, even if we didn't care about the musical guests because it was rare to see Blacks on TV except in the news, or on the occasional TV sitcom like Julia, Sanford & Son, Room 222, and Bill Cosby.

[Roberta75]

A terrible tragedy and a great loss. My heart aches for his family.

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me;
See, on your portals He's waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me
Come home, come home,
Ye who are weary come home.

You are now home Mr. Cornelius.

Roberta

[jillfoster]

I'm not sure what i'm more saddened about, the fact that he died or the fact that he killed himself! What demons could he of possibly had to drive him to it. We all loved him and he had so much of an impact on not only Soul music, but on the world as a whole.

When a senior citizen takes their own life, I always assume it's due to health problems and to avoid the horrific pain and decline that might lay ahead for the person.

[jillfoster]

So... I did, how many of you learned to dance watching Soul Train?

[marv2]

So... I did, how many of you learned to dance watching Soul Train?

That song will always remind me of my Junior High Graduation dance. We tore it up to T.S.O.P! Thank God for Soul Train....Thank God for Don Cornelius!

Marv

[daviddesper]

I grew up [[white) in a rural Southern town with only three or four TV stations to choose from. For most of the years in which I was developing my musical tastes, Soul Train gave me my best connections to black music, which I have come to love in all forms. Such a sad loss!

[msmotown2]

R.I.P. Don. Thank you soooooo muchhhhhh for Soul Train. Thanks for the excitement and what you
bought into my life. You will not be forgotten. We will always remember the dancers, the styles, the singers,
the comedians, the music and most of all LOVE PEACE AND SOUL.

[soulster]

I grew up [[white) in a rural Southern town with only three or four TV stations to choose from. For most of the years in which I was developing my musical tastes, Soul Train gave me my best connections to black music, which I have come to love in all forms. Such a sad loss!

I grew up in a small southwestern town. Thank God we had cable in the early 70s with KTTV, because if we hadn't, I wouldn't have had that connection with all that soul music either.

[jillfoster]

Soulster, your over the air stations didn't have Soul Train? Needless to say, out here in the ozarks we didn't have no cable, we still don't... you could get satellite if you wanted, but no cable. Our local ABC affiliate carried Soul Train, and wisely aired it at 12 noon on Saturday, right after American Bandstand. So you had double helpins of the best of popular music every Satruday. I was in hog heaven.

[mark speck]

RIP, Mr. Cornelius, with 'Love, Peace and SOUL!'...

Best,

Mark

[glencro]

One of my favorite Don Cornelius moments...Rest in Peace

[chidrummer]

Yesterday's Chicago Sun-Times Cover:

[marv2]

One of my favorite Don Cornelius moments...Rest in Peace

That was my favorite too. I remember watching it the day it originally aired. If anyone could get Don to dance it was Mary Wilson.

[GeeTee(HPK)]

Tonight on WCIU TV in Chicago, they will paying tribute to Don,by doing a 7 hour tribute of airing Soul Train. The tribute starts at 7pm, [[cst) Here's Don last interview,from last year. He dropped by the V-103 studios to chat with Herb Kent. Thanks for the memories and rest in eternal peace.

[timmyfunk]

One of my favorite Don Cornelius moments...Rest in Peace

This clip takes on a whole different and deeper meaning. Only three other performers have had this effect after they passed: Garry Shider, Gil Scott-Heron, and Teena Marie. Don, you will definitely be missed.