“I am shocked and deeply saddened at the sudden passing of my friend, colleague and business partner Don Cornelius. Don was a visionary pioneer and a giant in our business. Before MTV, there was ‘Soul Train.’ That will be the great legacy of Don Cornelius. His contributions to television, music and our culture as a whole will never be matched.”
— Quincy Jones
By Gloria R. Nash, MA, MS
Don Cornelius was found dead on Feb. 1, 2012, at the age of 75. The Los Angeles Police Department stated that he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
This article attempts to make sense and meaning from the very sad ending that has come to a man as powerful as Don Cornelius was. It is my hope that by viewing his untimely death, we can prepare our society to provide better support to all people who may be struggling with unbearable emotions and suicidal thoughts. It is time, both individually and collectively, for us to address and find ways to eliminate the rising numbers of suicide that are occurring among elderly populations.
Don Cornelius was one of my heroes because of his contribution as a guardian of the most human of traditions, the expressive arts. He utilized the power of music to help bring people together with the nationally televised show “Soul Train,” that he produced and hosted.
As a kid, the music and dance I witnessed on “American Bandstand” and “Soul Train” made weekly Saturday morning television viewing not only cool but an imperative. My childhood was spent in front of the television watching the great lineup of artists and the latest dance moves that both of these programs broadcast. Both programs offered music and dancing that were stylistically very different. Dick Clark was the yin of white bread, Top Forty pop music, whereas, Don was the yang of funk, R&B and soul music. Together, however, this yin and yang created a legacy that helped to inspire, unify, and energize a generation.
Don Cornelius had a hand in shaping American popular culture, thus endowing us with a heritage of unsurpassed memories. In so doing, he also helped to provide us with evidence declaring music to be a universal language to be enjoyed by everyone, as well as a healing force. The bonds that Baby Boomers share were in part forged through the vision that inspired Don Cornelius to express to the world.
Along with so many others in the Baby Boomer cohort, I was greatly saddened to hear the tragic news of suicide by a man who contributed so much to history, music and culture. How could his life have been filled with so much intense and unrelieved pain that he chose to die in such a haunting manner?
It is my hope that Don Cornelius’ passing will provide an opportunity for us to deal with our collective grief by talking about the taboo subject of suicide. Perhaps we can then provide safeguards that are effective in preventing such untimely deaths, especially among the elderly. This article does not address the type of issues that the late Jack Kevorkian brought to our collective awareness. Those people who want to die with dignity due to aging with illness is an entirely separate matter. What I wish to bring light to is the plight of those who opt for suicide as the only way they have found to ease burdened emotional states that have become too much to handle.
The media has reported that along with poor health, Don Cornelius had recently experienced a divorce and financial troubles. We may never fully know all of the facts about how depressed Cornelius felt about the direction his life was taking, however, broken relationships, health problems and financial losses are all risk factors for suicide.
Many elderly, including increasing numbers of Baby boomers are finding that instead of their lives getting easier, they are chronically facing losses and other stressful events involving finances, deaths of friends or family members, and illness.
It is normal to respond to these events with feelings of sadness, overwhelm, and depression. But when these feelings leave an individual with debilitating feelings of frustration, overwhelm, or suffering in isolation, the emotional distress becomes a vicious cycle that breeds even more discouragement, thus increasing the risk of suicidal ideations.
While the pain that Don Cornelius endured is over now, we are all enriched by the legacy he left to the world both as a model of a life well lived and through the gift of music that will live on in our souls.
Let the passing of Don Cornelius not be in vain, but let it shed much needed light on emotional distress endured by too many individuals who suffer in darkness with suicidal thoughts that prevent them from experiencing good emotional health.
“Wishing you love, peace, and sooooooul,” were the signature words with which Don Cornelius signed off from every episode of “Soul Train.”
I hope you have found your peace, Don.
Copyright 2012 Gloria R. Nash, All Rights Reserved