Soul Train is a music-related, syndicated television program. In its 35-year history, the show has primarily featured performances by rhythm and blues, soul, and hip hop artists, although jazz musicians and gospel singers have also appeared. The program was created by Don Cornelius, who also served as its first host and executive producer, and aired from 1971 to 2006, with reruns continuing until 2008.
Don Cornelius ended his run as host in 1993, and guest hosts were used from that time until 1997, when comedian Mystro Clark began a two-year stint as host. Clark was replaced by actor Shemar Moore in 1999. In 2003, Moore was succeeded by actor Dorian Gregory, who hosted through 2006.
The show is known for its animated opening title featuring the popular cartoon train from unknown various cartoon studios.
As a nod to Soul Train's longevity, the show's opening sequence (during later seasons) contains a claim that it is the "longest-running, first-run, nationally-syndicated program in television history," with over 1,100 episodes produced from the show's debut through the 2005-06 season.
Production of first-run episodes was suspended at the conclusion of the 2005-06 season, the show's thirty-fifth. For two seasons starting in 2006-07, the program aired archived episodes under the title "The Best of Soul Train". The future of Soul Train was uncertain with the announced closing of Tribune Entertainment's syndication division on December 18, 2007, which left Don Cornelius Productions to seek a new distributor for the program. Cornelius soon secured a deal with Trifecta Entertainment & Media.
In May 2008, the rights to the Soul Train library were purchased by MadVision Entertainment, whose principal partners come from the entertainment and publishing fields. The price and terms of the deal were not disclosed. However, by the start of the 2008 television season, the Tribune-owned stations (including national carrier WGN America) that had been the linchpin of the show's syndication efforts dropped the program, and many others followed suit. The move coincided with Trifecta Entertainment & Media's transfer of its only other major syndication effort, American Idol Rewind, to network television, indicating it may have exited the syndication business as well. Soul Train's website acknowledged that the program had ceased distribution on September 22 of that year.
Despite this, in years on air, Soul Train will continue to hold the honor of the longest continuously running first-run syndicated program until at least 2016, if and when its nearest competitor, Entertainment Tonight, completes its 35th season.
Near the program's conclusion, there is also the popular "Soul Train Line", in which all the dancers form two lines with a space in the middle for individual dancers to strut down and dance in consecutively. Sometimes, new dance styles or moves are featured or introduced by particular dancers. (This element has become a part of pop culture as partygoers and nightclub patrons often break into a "Soul Train Line".)
In addition, there is an in-studio group of dancers who dance along to the music as it is being performed. Rosie Perez, Carmen Electra, Nick Cannon, MC Hammer, Jermaine Stewart, Fred "Rerun" Berry, Pebbles, and NFL legend Walter Payton were among those who got noticed dancing on the program over the years. Two former dancers, Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel, enjoyed years of success as members of the disco group Shalamar after they (along with singer Howard Hewett) were tabbed by Soul Train talent booker/record promoter Dick Griffey to replace the group's original session singers in 1977.
Performers who appear on Soul Train generally lip-sync their songs to its recorded version, though several have chosen to sing their songs live. Each guest usually performs twice on each program; after their first number, they are joined by the program host on-stage for a brief interview.
The show is known for two popular catchphrases: Referring to itself as the "hippest trip in America" at the beginning of the show; and for closing the program with, "...We wish you love, peace... and SOUL!"
The Soul Train Music Awards were most recently held on March 10, 2007. In April 2008 Don Cornelius announced that year's ceremony had been cancelled. Cornelius cited the three-month-long strike by the Writers Guild of America as one of the reasons, though a main factor may have been the uncertainty surrounding Soul Train's future. Cornelius also announced that a motion picture based on the program is currently in development and could be released theatrically in 2009. Despite the television series cancellation, it appears these plans will continue to move forward.
Then in 1973, the show changed its theme to the well-known "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)", recorded by Philadelphia soul studio group MFSB, with vocals by the Three Degrees. Released as a single, this song became a pop and R&B radio hit in 1973. Soul Train used "TSOP" until 1975.
In 1975, the show's in-house group The Soul Train Gang came up with "Soul Train '75" which was later released as a single for the newly formed Soul Train Records. This theme was only used for the 1975–1976 season.
From 1976 to 1978, Soul Train used another theme from the Soul Train Gang called "Soul Train '76 (Get on Board)".
In 1978, a new theme was introduced: "Soul Train '78", produced by the Hollywood Disco Jazz Band and sung by The Waters, was used until the middle half of the 1979–1980 season when it switched to "Up on Soul Train", and after several episodes into the 1980-1981 season by The Whispers , in 1980.
For several seasons beginning in the early middle of the 1982-1983 season, the program switched to another theme created by R&B artist O'Bryan. This lesser-known theme to the program, "Soul Train's a Comin'" , had a funkier beat and a stronger bass line and it was used for one season and (later redone as the "Special Remix Version" of Soul Train's a Comin' "Party Down") in the 1983-1984 season.
In 1987, George Duke composed the first remake of "TSOP", known as "TSOP '87", and Duke also remixed the theme into a newer version ("TSOP '89") in 1989.
"Soul Train '93" (Know You Like to Dance)" performed by the rap group Naughty by Nature with a saxophone solo by Everette Harp, was introduced in 1993.
More recently, another updated version of "TSOP", "TSOP 2000", has been used. However, at the beginning of the second half, "Know You Like to Dance" is still used.
The Rapper The Game mentions the show in the line "my introduction to the dope game came in 1985 watchin soul plane"
Soul Train is a music-related, syndicated television program. In its 35-year history, the show has primarily featured performances by rhythm and blues, soul, and hip hop artists, although jazz musicians and gospel singers have also appeared. The program was created by Don Cornelius, who also served as its first host and executive producer, and aired from 1971 to 2006, with reruns continuing until 2008.
Don Cornelius ended his run as host in 1993, and guest hosts were used from that time until 1997, when comedian Mystro Clark began a two-year stint as host. Clark was replaced by actor Shemar Moore in 1999. In 2003, Moore was succeeded by actor Dorian Gregory, who hosted through 2006.
The show is known for its animated opening title featuring the popular cartoon train from unknown various cartoon studios.
As a nod to Soul Train's longevity, the show's opening sequence (during later seasons) contains a claim that it is the "longest-running, first-run, nationally-syndicated program in television history," with over 1,100 episodes produced from the show's debut through the 2005-06 season.
Production of first-run episodes was suspended at the conclusion of the 2005-06 season, the show's thirty-fifth. For two seasons starting in 2006-07, the program aired archived episodes under the title "The Best of Soul Train". The future of Soul Train was uncertain with the announced closing of Tribune Entertainment's syndication division on December 18, 2007, which left Don Cornelius Productions to seek a new distributor for the program. Cornelius soon secured a deal with Trifecta Entertainment & Media.
In May 2008, the rights to the Soul Train library were purchased by MadVision Entertainment, whose principal partners come from the entertainment and publishing fields. The price and terms of the deal were not disclosed. However, by the start of the 2008 television season, the Tribune-owned stations (including national carrier WGN America) that had been the linchpin of the show's syndication efforts dropped the program, and many others followed suit. The move coincided with Trifecta Entertainment & Media's transfer of its only other major syndication effort, American Idol Rewind, to network television, indicating it may have exited the syndication business as well. Soul Train's website acknowledged that the program had ceased distribution on September 22 of that year.
Despite this, in years on air, Soul Train will continue to hold the honor of the longest continuously running first-run syndicated program until at least 2016, if and when its nearest competitor, Entertainment Tonight, completes its 35th season.
Near the program's conclusion, there is also the popular "Soul Train Line", in which all the dancers form two lines with a space in the middle for individual dancers to strut down and dance in consecutively. Sometimes, new dance styles or moves are featured or introduced by particular dancers. (This element has become a part of pop culture as partygoers and nightclub patrons often break into a "Soul Train Line".)
In addition, there is an in-studio group of dancers who dance along to the music as it is being performed. Rosie Perez, Carmen Electra, Nick Cannon, MC Hammer, Jermaine Stewart, Fred "Rerun" Berry, Pebbles, and NFL legend Walter Payton were among those who got noticed dancing on the program over the years. Two former dancers, Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel, enjoyed years of success as members of the disco group Shalamar after they (along with singer Howard Hewett) were tabbed by Soul Train talent booker/record promoter Dick Griffey to replace the group's original session singers in 1977.
Performers who appear on Soul Train generally lip-sync their songs to its recorded version, though several have chosen to sing their songs live. Each guest usually performs twice on each program; after their first number, they are joined by the program host on-stage for a brief interview.
The show is known for two popular catchphrases: Referring to itself as the "hippest trip in America" at the beginning of the show; and for closing the program with, "...We wish you love, peace... and SOUL!"
The Soul Train Music Awards were most recently held on March 10, 2007. In April 2008 Don Cornelius announced that year's ceremony had been cancelled. Cornelius cited the three-month-long strike by the Writers Guild of America as one of the reasons, though a main factor may have been the uncertainty surrounding Soul Train's future. Cornelius also announced that a motion picture based on the program is currently in development and could be released theatrically in 2009. Despite the television series cancellation, it appears these plans will continue to move forward.
Then in 1973, the show changed its theme to the well-known "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)", recorded by Philadelphia soul studio group MFSB, with vocals by the Three Degrees. Released as a single, this song became a pop and R&B radio hit in 1973. Soul Train used "TSOP" until 1975.
In 1975, the show's in-house group The Soul Train Gang came up with "Soul Train '75" which was later released as a single for the newly formed Soul Train Records. This theme was only used for the 1975–1976 season.
From 1976 to 1978, Soul Train used another theme from the Soul Train Gang called "Soul Train '76 (Get on Board)".
In 1978, a new theme was introduced: "Soul Train '78", produced by the Hollywood Disco Jazz Band and sung by The Waters, was used until the middle half of the 1979–1980 season when it switched to "Up on Soul Train", and after several episodes into the 1980-1981 season by The Whispers , in 1980.
For several seasons beginning in the early middle of the 1982-1983 season, the program switched to another theme created by R&B artist O'Bryan. This lesser-known theme to the program, "Soul Train's a Comin'" , had a funkier beat and a stronger bass line and it was used for one season and (later redone as the "Special Remix Version" of Soul Train's a Comin' "Party Down") in the 1983-1984 season.
In 1987, George Duke composed the first remake of "TSOP", known as "TSOP '87", and Duke also remixed the theme into a newer version ("TSOP '89") in 1989.
"Soul Train '93" (Know You Like to Dance)" performed by the rap group Naughty by Nature with a saxophone solo by Everette Harp, was introduced in 1993.
More recently, another updated version of "TSOP", "TSOP 2000", has been used. However, at the beginning of the second half, "Know You Like to Dance" is still used.
The Rapper The Game mentions the show in the line "my introduction to the dope game came in 1985 watchin soul plane"
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