Legendary "Soul Train" creator and host Don Cornelius died at age 75 of a seemingly self-inflicted gunshot wound. Los Angeles police answering a report of a shooting at his home found Cornelius early Wednesday morning and he was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

Following employment as an insurance salesman, and a traffic officer Don Cornelius found his way into broadcasting.

Using his smooth baritone voice as a radio announcer, a news reporter and a DJ, the native of Chicago, became a “groundbreaking visionary who understood the power of black youth culture, particularly in social dance, and the hunger and excitement that mainstream America had for black culture during the civil rights movement,” said Mark Anthony Neal, expert on pop culture. He said, “Cornelius ‘helped make soul music national.’” “Though Dick Clark’s American Bandstand’ seems the obvious inspiration for Soul Train, what Cornelius really did is visualize, for television audiences, the energy and inspiration of black radio--an industry critical to the emergence of black music stars like James Brown and Aretha Franklin and an important partner to the civil rights movement.

Part of Cornelius genius in the early days of Soul Train was to highlight regional black dance styles and local artists. This is what led to the creation of the national black culture and national black media to make way for syndicated radio personalities like Tom Joyner and Michael Baisden.” Neal continued, “Cornelius helped make soul music a national brand.”

Don Cornelius continued the “Soul Train” ride for 25 years. Cornelius stepped down as host in 1993, but "Soul Train" chugged on through 2006.

In recent years, Cornelius' personal life made headlines. He pleaded no contest to misdemeanor spousal battery and his marriage with his wife Victoria came to a bitter end in 2009. The couple had two sons.

Cornelius was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.