The brothers and sisters here together.

Don Cornelius and the "eighth wonder of the world." Chicago. 1971. At the 9:00 mark there's a special song for the Soul Train gang.

It's no secret around this territory that I one of my recent and characteristic fascinations has been with Soul Train. This news, however it would have transpired, is shocking, as it is when any influential cultural figure passes on, and especially when you've been touched by what they do, either in the course of your life, or even simply when you're sitting in front of the TV (or streaming screen) and that person has created a window for you into another world, big and joyful and thoughtful one, a "ride" that will be back next week. And the next week, and the next week. And you know he's right when he says, "you can bet your last money it's all going to be a stone jam, sonny."




It's beyond troubling when the end is sudden like this. There's not an answer..

Peace, love and Soul.

OKAY, ADDENDUM:

I just read this in-the-moment remembrance from Questlove.

"to say with a straight, dignified face that BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL was the RISKIEST radical life-changing move that america has seen. and amazingly enough for one hour for one saturday out the week, if you were watching soul train….it became contagious. next thing you know you are actually believing you have some sort of worth.

"the whole idea of Afrocentrism in my opinion manifested and spread with Soul Train in its first 6 years."