When you think of music on television, the first thing that pops into your head might be MTV. But in the ‘60s and ‘70s, music shows were television staples before there was a channel dedicated to them. One of the most popular was “Soul Train,” founded by Chicago native Don Cornelius in his hometown in 1970.

Some of the program’s first guests were regional musicians with a modicum of fame and success. “Soul Train” was first broadcast as a local show on WCIU-TV as a daily program in Chicago. The following year, the show moved to Los Angeles where it also came into national syndication. Cornelius was the host of his show from its inception until 1993, when he resigned as host. He remained a solid creative force with the show until 2006.

For his part, Cornelius had just quit his job as a Chicago police officer when he decided to go into television. After bouncing around in odd jobs after returning from the Korean War, the journalism major decided television would be a good medium for what he saw as a young people’s format: civil rights and soul music, both incredibly popular when the show started.

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Learn more about Don Cornelius
For more on the original Peace, Love and Soul music program Soul Train, click here