My father worked real hard. I admired him. My father taught me you needed to work with your brain and not your back. I've made that a passion.

- Don Cornelius

Who's more important than Diana Ross?

- Don Cornelius

'Soul Train' was developed as a radio show on television. It was the radio show that I always wanted and never had.

- Don Cornelius

MTV essentially killed 'American Bandstand' and 'Solid Gold,' because music videos are an easier way for pop artists to gain television exposure.

- Don Cornelius

I felt that it was my mission to see to it that black talent had an opportunity to get national television exposure.

- Don Cornelius

Blacks on prime-time TV are only portrayed as comedians - and often in no better a light than 'Amos & Andy.'

- Don Cornelius

Black music is too big and too powerful not to have its own awards show.

- Don Cornelius

All I really wanted was to be a full-time disc jockey.

- Don Cornelius

One motivation for the 'Soul Train' awards was the grumbling that all of us in the industry have heard about the way black music tends to be viewed as a secondary phenomenon by the other awards shows.

- Don Cornelius

When I have a job to do, time means nothing. I lose patience with people who work on a clock.

- Don Cornelius

There were three great child singing stars: Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Jackie Washington.

- Don Cornelius

The '70s and '80s were just the period during which the best soul music was created and the best records were done.

- Don Cornelius

Nobody really invents anything that hasn't been done before.

- Don Cornelius

Love, peace and soul.

- Don Cornelius

I was never exposed to a great deal of racism, but the Chicago I grew up in was very, very segregated.

- Don Cornelius

I had difficulty working for other people.

- Don Cornelius

I figured as long as the music stayed hot and important and good, that there would always be a reason for 'Soul Train.'

- Don Cornelius

I am just convinced that people want to see people on TV who are more like themselves.

- Don Cornelius

The 'Soul Train' legacy and brand are of the utmost importance to me and to 'Soul Train's' millions of fans. After years of offers, I feel the time is now finally right to pass the torch.

- Don Cornelius

When you come up with a good idea, you don't have to do a whole lot. The idea does it for you.

- Don Cornelius