Despite the success of the hit song, “Soul Train”, Victoria Avila Cornelius and her husband Don Cornelius were not the only ones who had their lives touched by this musical hit. Among them are Christina Marie Cornelius, Gladys Knight and the late Don Cornelius. During their lifetime, they have been involved in a lot of musical projects, including “Dirty Water”, “Disney’s Christmas Story” and many others. These projects were a way to express their talents. In the end, they also helped to create many new musical styles.
Gladys Knight
Known as “Empress of Soul,” Gladys Knight is an American recording artist and author. She was born on May 28, 1944. She was the daughter of Merald Woodrow Knight and Sarah Elizabeth Knight. She has been married four times. She has two children. She has an estimated net worth of $28 million. She has been involved in the national syndication of Soul Train during its early years. She later went on tour with Prince.
Gladys Knight married motivational speaker Les Brown in 1995. She has two children from this marriage. The couple separated in 1997. She has since been divorced from her fourth husband, William McDowell.
Cornelius founded Soul Train in the 1970s. It was a television show devoted to black culture. He launched it on WCIU-TV in Chicago. In 1971, the show moved to Los Angeles, where it was syndicated nationwide.
Cornelius had a career in radio before he started the show. He grew up on the South Side of Chicago. He worked for WCIU-TV in 1967. He started out as a DJ. Cornelius also served as a corporate consultant. In 1995, he was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Cornelius also worked as a journalist. He helped write the hit Cleopatra Jones. He also hosted A Black’s View of the News.
Don Cornelius
Whether you know Don Cornelius or not, you may not know the impact he had on the music industry. He was the creator of Soul Train, and helped break racial and cultural barriers among young adults. He was also a civil rights activist. He helped create a foundation for young adults, and is remembered for his contributions to the black community.
Don Cornelius was born in 1936. He was married to Delores Harrison from 1956-1976. They had two children together. Cornelius later married Viktoria Chapman. He also had three children. Cornelius’s second marriage ended in divorce in 2009.
Cornelius was found dead with a gunshot wound to his head, and was pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He had two life insurance policies worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. His death was a suicide. His wife, Viktoria Chapman, has filed restraining orders against him.
Cornelius had undergone brain surgery in 1982, to correct a congenital defect that affected the blood vessels in his brain. He never fully recovered from the surgery. He suffered health problems for over 30 years.
Christina Marie Cornelius
During the late 1960s, Don Cornelius helped give African-American musicians a platform to get more exposure. He was the creator of Soul Train, a show that brought superstars like James Brown and Earth, Wind & Fire to a larger audience. He was also a producer. Cornelius was a fan of The O’Jays, and he asked them to perform several times on Soul Train.
Cornelius’s show made the soul genre more popular, and it opened the doors for acts like the O’Jays, the Commodores, and Earth, Wind & Fire. It also helped to create a new TV industry. During the Civil Rights Movement, Cornelius was inspired to create Soul Train.
Cornelius married Delores Harrison in 1956. They had two sons, Anthony and Raymond. Don and Delores divorced in 1976. Don Cornelius married Viktoria Chapman in 2001. They had been married for nine years.
Cornelius was married to Victoria Avila Cornelius in 2009. After their divorce, Victoria Avila Cornelius filed for a restraining order against Don Cornelius. She also discovered that he had two life insurance policies worth thousands of dollars.
Life after ‘Soul Train’
‘Soul Train’ was a cultural phenomenon that spanned decades. It was the first show to focus on soul music, and it showcased the best in African-American rhythm and blues. It also spawned its own awards show and record label.
Soul Train premiered in Chicago in 1970, where it was filmed and hosted by Don Cornelius. Cornelius was an avid fan of R&B music and the black community. He wanted to give black artists a national platform.
Soul Train quickly became a hit, and it began to air in other markets. Cornelius had the show on in 18 other cities by the end of the first season. The show also moved its headquarters to Los Angeles.
The show was a cultural and social icon for young black teenagers. It helped promote R&B music and made black artists more acceptable on cable TV. Cornelius was proud of his skin color, and he worked to make sure that African-American culture was not merely exploited.