Don Cornelius

“The '70s and '80s were just the period during which the best soul music was created and the best records were done.”

“MTV essentially killed 'American Bandstand' and 'Solid Gold,' because music videos are an easier way for pop artists to gain television exposure.”

“I was never exposed to a great deal of racism, but the Chicago I grew up in was very, very segregated.”

“One motivation for the 'Soul Train' awards was the grumbling that all of us in the industry have heard about the way black music tends to be viewed as a secondary phenomenon by the other awards shows.”

“When I have a job to do, time means nothing. I lose patience with people who work on a clock.”

“I figured as long as the music stayed hot and important and good, that there would always be a reason for 'Soul Train.'”