Editor's note: Eric Goldson is an Associate Producer for HLN’s Money Expert Clark Howard and an Atlanta native.
When I heard the news yesterday that Don Cornelius took his life, I was surprised at the amount of emotion I felt. The creator of "Soul Train," the longest first-run syndicated show in television history, died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. We'd lost an innovator in television and a flag-bearer for soul music and black culture. I'm sure that when many of us think of Cornelius' legacy, we'll always remember Saturday mornings.
How many people remember the end of Saturday morning cartoons being signaled by the rhythmic churning of a multicolored train? Apparently, at least every third person on my Facebook news feed does. The "Soul Train" intro embodied what the show and its emcee were about. It was as flamboyant and bold as it was smooth and disarming.
Don Cornelius took his creation to a national audience in 1971 and it immediately filled a void in television entertainment, giving wide exposure to black artists who weren't mainstream enough to perform on "American Bandstand." With soul music at the height of its popularity and creativity at the time, Cornelius introduced legendary artists like James Brown and Aretha Franklin with the same smooth, respectful baritone that he did lesser-known artists like The O'Jays and The Whispers. The Soul Train dancers did "the bump" with the same focus, no matter who was on stage.
Three generations of viewers watched that train grow in size, color, and animation. I recall my father pointing out the Asian dancer with the hair down to her waist as she made her way down the "Soul Train" line. His generation populated that dance floor when the show began. By the time I became aware of "Soul Train" in the late '80s, the gravity of its social significance was waning, but Cornelius was still producing a quality television program where you could hear good music, pick up the latest dance moves, check out garish fashions, and get a reminder from the sponsor to pick up a can of Afro Sheen.
A few months back, I was watching an old Soul Train clip on YouTube. I noticed how Marvin Gaye interacted with a young lady at the foot of the stage. She was so focused on the crooner that you'd never have known this was being broadcast into millions of homes. Seeing this play out on television helped me better understand the impact of Gaye and his contemporaries, not only on music but on people's lives. Don Cornelius provided a medium for us to share in this interaction.
I've already been invited to three weddings this year. I guarantee there will be a "Soul Train" line in at least two of them.
Don Cornelius left a wonderful legacy of love, peace, and -- most of all -- soooooouuuuuulllllllll.
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