One876 Entertainment.com

Why did Don Cornelius of Soul Train fame kill himself? Yesterday, mi read it pon the Net and it jerk me up. The man swallow the silver bullet. Mi affi big him up because mi did love watch Soul Train wid dem cool dance steps. And when yu watch the old Soul Train dem, yu see the big Afros, funky music, and groovy dance steps.

Cornelius paid $400 (£252) from his own pocket to launch Soul Train in 1970.

The show was a live showcase for black music, following a similar format to the UK's Top Of The Pops.

It brought artists like James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and The Jacksons into US homes throughout the 1970s and 80s. The programme, which Cornelius wrote, presented and produced, was also a platform for white rock musicians like Elton John and David Bowie to reach black audiences.

As host, Cornelius became known for his dapper dress sense, and his deeply-intoned greeting to "the hippest trip in America".