Soul Train creator Don Cornelius commits suicide

Dance program creator brought black pop culture to masses.

Don Cornelius, creator of iconic dance program Soul Train that helped introduce Americans to black culture on TV, died after shooting himself in the head, officials said on Wednesday. He was 75.

"The death was reported as a suicide, a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head," said coroner's assistant chief Ed Winter. Cornelius was pronounced dead at 4: 56 a.m., Winter said.

Police discovered the popular personality's body at his house after responding to reports of shots fired in the wealthy, hillside area of Los Angeles called Sherman Oaks where he lived. The community is home to many celebrities and entertainment executives.

Cornelius was taken to a nearby hospital where he was officially pronounced dead, LAPD spokesman Kevin Maiberger said. He declined to give details because detectives were still at the scene investigating on Wednesday morning.

Cornelius launched Soul Train in the early 1970s as a local dance show from Chicago. It relocated to Los Angeles the following year and eventually became part of pop culture history by boosting the careers of young artist breaking out, such as the Jackson Five, and older artists like James Brown that were looking to tap into a young, funky audience. As the smooth-talking host with a deep voice, Cornelius gave to hip young kids of the '70s what American Bandstand creator Dick Clark offered to viewers in the early days of rock 'n' roll.

As the popularity of Soul Train grew, the show began to cross over into mainstream America and R&B artists soon broadened their fan base.

Soul Train aired until 2006, making it the longest-running U.S. series in first-run syndication. Cornelius sold the franchise in 2008.

Longtime friend Rev. Al Sharpton expressed shock and grief over the news of the death.

"He brought soul music and dance to the world in a way that it had never been shown and he was a cultural game changer on a global level," he said. Quincy Jones said that he was "deeply saddened" at the sudden passing of his friend, colleague and business partner.

"Before MTV, there was Soul Train, that will be the great legacy of Don Cornelius," he said. 

"His contributions to television, music and our culture as a whole will never be matched."

'We wish you Love, peace and soul'.

 Don Cornelius, creator of the iconic U.S. television music show Soul Train, died on Wednesday after shooting himself in the head at his Los Angeles home. He was 75. Following are some key facts about Cornelius and the show he hosted for more than 20 years.

- Cornelius started his career as a police officer before becoming a disc jockey and news reader at a Chicago radio station in the 1960s. He later got into concert promotions featuring local talent.

- He launched Soul Train as a live TV dance and music show in Chicago in 1970. It was one of the first TV shows to feature African-Americans prominently and was syndicated nationally from 1971 to 2006. Cornelius hosted the show until 1993. .

- Carmen Electra, Nick Cannon, MC Hammer and Laurieann Gibson were among the Soul Train dancers who got their first taste of fame on the show.

- Music artists appearing on the show ranged from Marvin Gaye, James Brown and The Jackson 5 to Elton John, David Bowie and Paula Abdul.

- Blessed with a smooth deep voice, Cornelius closed the show each week with the phrase, "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!"

- The Soul Train Music Awards were created in 1987 and are broadcast annually on the BET TV channel.