Don Cornelius: 2 Missed Ideas, Soul Train Without Him

The ‘Soul Train’ Vaults have been opened for a DVD deal and I MUST have my industry copy. Sh…, I would even pay for this. I can’t help but to wonder why Don didn’t think of doing this HIMSELF before selling his rights to the company to MadVision Entertainment a little over a year ago. There is a generation of black entrepreneurs that absolutely REFUSE to embrace any kind of technology and Don probably lost millions by not doing this himself. In addition, I was watching the Shalamar story from TV One. EXCELLENT show and they said on there that Don had Shalamar first on Soul Train Records but didn’t see the vision for the label or the group WHAT? Excuse me, I am now going to slam my head into the wall until I am unconscious… hold on.. I met Don once and told him how much I admired all the work that he has done and what a big fan I was of Soul Train at the Soul Train after party one year. That old bastard growled at me (laugh) like a fooking bear about to attack. I lost all respect for him at that moment. Don buried his own concept in the last few years of Soul Train, nobody that I knew in the industry liked him and in my opinion hiring hosts like Shermar Moore was an EXTREME error… What in the fook was he thinking (hmm, I think I know) but why not just hire Maya Angelou to host?

At least MadVision is on on the job. Old ST Show clips can be viewed at globalimageworks.com. Fans can also visit the Soul Train YouTube channel for more info on the release of the new DVD set. In the meantime, BET’s new Centric channel will bring back the Soul Train Awards this November (I think it’s too early for that, get the dance show off and running first). The channel is licensing old episodes of the dance show for broadcast as well. (Won’t they have to pay those dancers from the old show?) A “Soul Train” documentary is being developed for VH1 and also in discussion for next year: a new “Soul Train” show. (they better come VERY correct for this one. Please limit the break-dancing) Producers state “It would have to be updated for today’s world of competitive reality programming like ‘American Idol’ and ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ It’s not something we take lightly. We want to do it with the same kind of passion and respect that Don had.” (yeah but without Don)

I would love to know what Damita Jo Freeman, Joe Chism, Tyrone Procter, Pat Davis, Vickie Ambercrombie and the other old dancers are up to today.