Soul Train Story

SOUL TRAIN Creator and Executive Producer Don Cornelius has been at the cutting edge of Soul music (including Rhythm and Blues, Hip Hop, Gospel and Jazz) for over 30 years.

His influence and achievements have been recognized by Hollywood and the broadcasting community alike, with a STAR on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; and his induction into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame.

The year 2005 was, indeed, a pinnacle year, in terms of equally prestigious honors being bestowed upon Don Cornelius and Soul Train, with Cornelius and Soul Train receiving a Special Grammy Award from the NARAS Board of Regents, for career contributions and achievements. The year 2005 was also a year during which Cornelius and Soul Train would, combinely be honored with the coveted 2005 Pop Culture Award at the 2005 TV Land (network) Awards cablecast.

Soul Train’s 25th consecutive season on the air provided the momentum, in 1995, for the Cornelius Production Team to mount an all-star CBS television special; while the weekly dance show, alone, would continuing to inspire at least two generations of music aficionados, with its hip dances, fashions and exciting performances by R&B/Soul, Hip Hop, Gospel, Jazz and Pop recording artists.

For a number of years, the longest running TV program of any genre in the entire history of first-run, nationally syndicated TV programming, in America, Soul Train celebrated its 30th consecutive season on the air with a nationally syndicated, June/2000 TV special, entitled Divas and Kings, 2000 and Beyond/The Soul Train 30th Anniversary.

In addition to the weekly series, (which for 22 consecutive years featured Don Cornelius, himself, as Soul Train’s On-Air Host), Don Cornelius Productions produces three, annual, nationally syndicated, prime time TV specials -- the Soul Train Music Awards (20th year), the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards (10th year), and the Soul Train Christmas Starfest, which debuted in 1998.

The Annual Soul Train TV specials are among the most enthusiastically supported, by the recording industry and all attract top performance talent, annually, including the likes of Dianna Ross, the late Barry White, Patty LaBelle, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, the late Luther Vandross, Vanessa Williams, LL Cool J, Anita Baker, Boyz II Men and many others.

Ironically, the Soul Train legacy almost didn't happen. In the spring of 1966, Don Cornelius took what he considered to be a gamble, at best and enrolled in a broadcasting school in Chicago. He had been advised, during indoctrination, that he and the majority of those enrolled in the course might never get jobs in broadcasting. Despite the odds against success, Cornelius decided to give the course a try, since being a radio announcer had always been a dream of his. Cornelius attended classes in the morning, while maintaining a regular job during the rest of the day and in three months had completed the course.

In 1967, Cornelius was offered a part-time position as a news announcer on Chicago radio station WVON, one of Chicago's most popular Black-oriented stations. Later, he would set his sights on TV and TV production, which led to his idea for a Black-oriented dance show. Cornelius pitched the idea to WCIU-TV in Chicago and agreed to produce the pilot at his own expense, while the station agreed to provide a small studio.

Cornelius completed the pilot and proceeded to hold screenings, in search of advertiser/sponsors. Initially, there were no takers, as advertiser representatives who would screen the pilot did not seem overwhelmed by Cornelius' new idea for a Black-targeted TV dance show, which he called Soul Train.

With a personal promise from Cornelius that, “Full sponsorship was right around the corner,” WCIU-TV (channel 26) began airing the original, local Chicago area, version of Soul Train in five-day-per-week, one-hour, afternoon episodes, on August 17, 1970.

Soul Train became an instant hit, across Chicago TV audiences, which attracted the attention of Johnson Products Company (Ultra Sheen/ Afro Sheen, etc., hair care products) founder and president George Johnson, who proposed an advertising partnership that would involve taking Soul Train in a direction toward national syndication.

In the summer of 1971, Cornelius began commuting to Hollywood, California, in hopes of locating better production facilities than could be found at the time in Chicago. After several trips to California, still with guidance and support from Johnson Products Company, the goals of securing a good facility and an experienced production crew were achieved.

The syndicated version went on the air October 2, 1971. As expected, it was an immediate success in the markets that carried the show. Unfortunately, the syndicating agency was able to premiere the show in only seven of the 25 target cities. The seven included Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and San Francisco. Many other station program directors conceded that the show was well produced and very entertaining, but said that they had no open time periods, regardless of the barter considerations being offered by the syndicator. In a number of cases, the syndicator was turned down by all of six or more stations in the same city. Almost invaluably, Soul Train's reputation and popularity grew, rapidly, in the cities that had accepted the show, the syndicator gradually began to pick up more stations.

Soul Train currently reaches 85% of U.S. Black Television households, through station clearances in 105 cities, including all major markets. Soul Train continues to perform well in all ratings research categories and is now, firmly, established, according to Cornelius, as one of America’s most successful targeted TV programs in first run syndication.

In 1985, Tribune Entertainment Company became the exclusive distributor/syndicator of Soul Train, thus providing the program with its most effective support system yet. Two years later, Tribune would also be the avenue for the successful, 1987 launch of the Soul Train Music Awards, live, two-hour television Special, which is presented, annually, in prime time, national syndication.

The Tribune Entertainment Company/Don Cornelius Productions, Inc. relationship would add to the overall Soul Train programming portfolio by launching the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards annual TV special, to honor the accomplishments of women in the music industry, in 1995; and The Soul Train Christmas Starfest, annual, holiday, TV special, in 1998. "All three Soul Train Specials, according to Cornelius represent our proudest examples of the partnership's consistent pursuit of our common goal of creating extraordinary exposure opportunities, for minority and other recording artists, on national television.”