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| Soul Train creator Don Cornelius kills himself at home | Soul Train creator Don Cornelius kills himself at home |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The creator of the long-running US TV show Soul Train has shot himself at his Los Angeles home, police said. | |
| Don Cornelius, 75, was pronounced dead on Wednesday morning after police answered reports of gunshots at his home around 04:00 (12:00 GMT). | Don Cornelius, 75, was pronounced dead on Wednesday morning after police answered reports of gunshots at his home around 04:00 (12:00 GMT). |
| Soul Train began in Chicago in 1970 but aired nationally from 1971 to 2006, showcasing artists such as Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and Barry White. | Soul Train began in Chicago in 1970 but aired nationally from 1971 to 2006, showcasing artists such as Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and Barry White. |
| Cornelius stepped down as host of the popular show in 1993. | Cornelius stepped down as host of the popular show in 1993. |
| Soul Train eventually grew into a franchise that included the Soul Train Music Awards, the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards and the Soul Train Christmas Starfest. | |
| Cornelius was awarded a place in the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame in 1995 and has a star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood. | |
| Soul Train was one of the first programmes to feature African-Americans in a prominent way. | |
| "I'm... trying to avoid saying there was no television for black folks, which they knew was for them," Cornelius said of the show in 2006. | |
| But Soul Train remained popular long after black musicians became part of mainstream music and culture in the US. | |
| "I figured as long as the music stayed hot and important and good, that there would always be a reason for Soul Train," Cornelius added. | |
| Paying tribute to him, music producer Quincy Jones said: "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." | |
| In 2009 Cornelius was sentenced to probation for three years after he did not contest charges of physical abuse in his marriage. | |
| During his divorce case in the same year it was revealed that Cornelius also suffered from health problems. |