Donald Cortez "Don" Cornelius, creator of the "Soul Train," which he hosted from 1971-1993, died today at age 75.
Officers responding to a report of a shooting found Cornelius at his Mulholland Drive home, in Los Angeles, at around 4 a.m., police said. He was pronounced dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at 4:56 a.m. at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, said Los Angeles County Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter, according to USA Today.
Cornelius was born in Chicago in 1936 and was one of the early employees of WVON.
Originally a journalist 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, and introduced many African-American musicians to a larger audience as a result of their appearances on "Soul Train," including James Brown.
Here is James Brown on the "Soul Train."
Director Spike Lee described the program as an "urban music time capsule."
Cornelius sold the show to MadVision Entertainment in 2008.
He made this catch phrase popular to close the show: "... and you can bet your last money, it's all gonna be a stone gas, honey! I'm Don Cornelius, and as always in parting, we wish you love, peace and soul!"
Cornelius most recently appeared at the 2009 BET Awards to present The O'Jays with the 2009 BET Lifetime Achievement Award.
