Don Cornelius, creator of the long-running TV dance show “Soul Train,” is dead at 75 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Los Angeles police tell the Associated Press.

Cornelius’ death was discovered early Wednesday morning at his Sherman Oaks, Calif. home.

Us Weekly reports that when Cornelius was in court in 2009 for divorce proceedings, he complained of “significant health issues.”
“Soul Train” began in 1970 in Chicago and aired in syndication from 1971 to March 2006, featuring primarily African-American musicians. It brought the best R&B, soul and later hip-hop acts to TV and had teenagers dance to them. It was one of the first shows to showcase African-Americans prominently, although the dance group was racially mixed. Cornelius was the first host and executive producer.

Stars such as Ike and Tina Turner, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, the Jackson 5, James Brown and Stevie Wonder appeared on the show.