Some have called "Soul Train" the "American Bandstand" of the black community. Actually, it was much more than that, and Don Cornelius was the primary reason why.
Certainly, Dick Clark had already featured plenty of African-American performers on "Bandstand" by the time "Soul Train" went on the air in 1971. But Cornelius and company had different priorities: Highlighting not just black singers and musicians, but also black history and culture.
The show's debut coincided with a new national awareness, in light of segregation barriers coming down, of what African-Americans had to contribute. Relatively quickly, Cornelius moved the show from its local television beginnings in Chicago to national syndication in Hollywood - other than Flip Wilson's NBC show, the first African-American-produced show to meet with that kind of success.
There is scarcely a performer famous since the early 1960s who hasn't been on that show. "Soul Train" has also hosted white performers such as Elton John.
Cornelius' regular hosting duties ended during the 1990s. But the show has never officially left the air, and the annual "Soul Train Awards" are a lasting example of Cornelius' legacy.
Here's a clip of Stevie Wonder on the show from 1971:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SUEyf_2fbo
"Where all the brothers and sisters get together." Indeed.
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David Letterman celebrated his 30th year in late-night television last week. A video collection on The Huffington Post's website had a good compilation of many of Dave's greatest hits, though it was not complete (No Cher from the NBC show. Also missing: His 2008 tirade against Republican presidential candidate John McCain for bailing on "Late Show" and then not going straight back to Washington, as he'd told Letterman.):
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/letterman-30th-anniversary_n_1248048.html
Four years before he began to hit it big with NBC's "Late Night With David Letterman," he was part of the repertory players on a CBS weekly variety show starring Mary Tyler Moore and also featuring Michael Keaton and Swoosie Kurtz. What idiot at CBS in 1978 thought this would be a good idea?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf5bawTerkE
Letterman headed in the right direction when he went to NBC in 1980. "The David Letterman Show," which ran through part of that year, lacked bandleader Paul Shaffer, but had the rest of the format that Letterman has had success with pretty much in place:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRoaG_AmqrI
He's come a long way from "Mary." Happy 30th in late night, Dave. And Happy Viewing to all.
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