For those of us who are fans of the 70’s film, Car Wash, we remember the character, “Geronimo,” portrayed by actor, Raymond Vitte. Vitte was also known for his roles in the films, 9 To 5 (1980), Up In Smoke (1978), and Thank God It’s Friday (1978); and TV shows, like All In The Family, That’s My Mama, Sanford and Son, The Quest, and more. What many of us didn’t know, is that Vitte died in 1983 at the age of 33. Equally surprising is the way that he died, while in LAPD custody, under very suspicious circumstances that many of his loved ones believed were really fishy.

At the time of Vitte’s death, there were many holes in the story surrounding the police report. His death certificate was also allegedly sealed by the LAPD. Raymond Vitte’s wife, Ernesta- who was 3 months pregnant when he died- joined Donna Summer, and others to speak out publicly about their suspicions.

Below is what was reported in 1983, shortly after Robert Vitte’s death [via United Press International]:

LOS ANGELES — Actor Raymond Vitte, who died minutes after [an alleged] weekend fight with police, was not beaten to death by the officers, the coroner’s office said Tuesday.

Spokesman Bill Gold said preliminary reports of an autopsy showed ‘superficial injuries consistent with a struggle were found, but they were not responsible for his death.’ He also said no needle marks were found on Vitte’s body, and said there was no evidence a chokehold was applied.

What Happened To Raymond Vitte

UPI- Vitte died at a hospital where he was taken by officers after he stopped breathing in the back of a patrol car.

Lt. Charles Higbie said officers summoned by neighbors in the actor’s Studio City apartment complex found Vitte alone in his apartment clad only in undershorts and a shirt. The actor’s ‘religious shouting’ had continued for more than 12 hours before the neighbors called police, Higbie said.

Vitte ordered the officers off the porch and ‘placed a curse on them,’ he said. In an ensuing struggle, Vitte was struck several times with a baton and sprayed in the face with tear gas.

The actor ran from officers and fell at the side of building’s swimming pool, Higbie said. He then was handcuffed and ‘was carried screaming’ to a squad car to be taken to a hospital for a mental evaluation. Officers noticed on the way that he had stopped breathing and detoured to a closer facility, where Vitte was pronounced dead.

In a press conference at that time, Vitte’s loved ones said there was something really suspicious about those findings…

Donna Summer spoke out in Vitte’s defense:

According to reports, Donna Summer was “baffled” by Raymond Vitte’s death, stating, “I’m devastated because he’s also my brother in Christ and I love him”:

Donna Summer complained bitterly ‘that a man who’s basically minding his own business in his own home, who happens to be creating a disturbance somehow, is now dead because his neighbors called the police. Is it more important that he be quieted and that his neighbors have peace?’ she asked a reporter after the news conference, held at her Hollywood recording studio.

‘We’re less one person because his neighbors complained about some noise. That doesn’t make sense to me. I think it’s more important to have the man and if the man is noisy, OK, that’s one thing. But I think our priorities are very drastically off.’

NAACP questioned the use of force used by police officers

Willis Edwards of the NAACP…criticized the police role in Vitte’s death. He asked the district attorney to investigate and urged the Police Commission ‘to halt the brutalization of black people. It’s an extremely sad day for all black people who live in this community,’ he said. ‘Once again, we have an unfortunate example of excessive police force.’

Actress Sheila Frazier, was angry over her friend’s death:

In a telephone interview with UPI, Sheila Frazier said Vitte was “not a drug-crazed fanatic,” but “a solid, loving man.”

She also suggested that Vitte’s chanting, which police said included the name of Mohammed, may have been the Pentecostal practice of ‘speaking in tongues.’ -via UPI

This sounds foul on many levels and the family of Ray Vitte deserves an unbiased and thorough investigation. It’s been 37 years since his death; and unfortunately, we’re still witnessing “suspicious” deaths/murders at the hands of law enforcement in 2020.  Thus, the details surrounding Vitte’s death are sadly, still very relevant today. May he and the countless other unjustly slain Black and Brown brothas and sistas continue to rest peacefully.

The post After “Car Wash” Actor Died Suspiciously In Police Custody, Fans And Celebs Were Outraged appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

The young ladies pictured above are two of their mother’s pride and joy. We ALL know their Mom very well. Their ’70s/’80s disco Mom has had national and international success, sold millions of records and is worth an estimated $75 million.

This probably isn’t an easy one, so if you got this one right, you’re good. Scroll down to see who she is…

Who’s Their Legendary Mother?

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Their Mother is the late, great Donna Summer! The “Love To Love You Baby” and “Last Dance” soul disco queen! A hand clap to whoever was able to get this one right.

Donna Summers actually has three daughters. Get the scoop on  Mimi, Brooklyn and Amanda — below…

Mimi Sommer Dohler is Donna’s eldest child. She’s 49 years old (born in February 1973) and her father is Donna’s first husband, German actor Helmuth Sommer (pictured below). Mimi, along with her two younger siblings, Brooklyn and Amanda used to sing background vocals on the road with their mom. Mimi is married with 4 children of her own now.

Brooklyn Sudano is Donna’s second born. Her father is Donna Summer’s husband, Bruce Sudano. She’s 41 years old (born in January 1981) and is an actress, singer and dancer who is probably best known for playing the role of “Vanessa Scott” on the ABC sitcom, My Wife And Kids (starring Tisha Campbell and Damon Wayans) and “Felicia” on the TV series Cuts.

Brooklyn graduated as the valedictorian of her high school, then went on to attend Vanderbilt University and eventually studied at Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York. She’s also modeled for Clairol, K-Mart and Clean and Clear. Donna Summers featured her on her song “Brooklyn,” from her I’m A Rainbow album.

Donna’s youngest daughter, Amanda Sudano is 39 years old (born in August 1982), and she’s also the daughter of Bruce Sudano. She has modeled for Louis Vutton ads, but she is most known for being in the successful pop singing duo group, Johnnyswim, with her husband, Abner Ramirez, with whom she has a toddler aged daughter. Check out their video below…

Donna Summer would be so proud of her children, may she continue to rest in power.

The post They Are As Beautiful As Their Mom…Who Happens To Be A Black Music Icon We Love appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

For those of us who are fans of the 70’s film, Car Wash, we remember the character, “Geronimo,” portrayed by actor, Raymond Vitte. Vitte was also known for his roles in the films, 9 To 5 (1980), Up In Smoke (1978), and Thank God It’s Friday (1978); and TV shows, like All In The Family, That’s My Mama, Sanford and Son, The Quest, and more. What many of us didn’t know, is that Vitte died in 1983 at the age of 33. Equally surprising is the way that he died, while in LAPD custody, under very suspicious circumstances that many of his loved ones believed were really fishy.

At the time of Vitte’s death, there were many holes in the story surrounding the police report. His death certificate was also allegedly sealed by the LAPD. Raymond Vitte’s wife, Ernesta- who was 3 months pregnant when he died- joined Donna Summer, and others to speak out publicly about their suspicions.

Below is what was reported in 1983, shortly after Robert Vitte’s death [via United Press International]:

LOS ANGELES — Actor Raymond Vitte, who died minutes after [an alleged] weekend fight with police, was not beaten to death by the officers, the coroner’s office said Tuesday.

Spokesman Bill Gold said preliminary reports of an autopsy showed ‘superficial injuries consistent with a struggle were found, but they were not responsible for his death.’ He also said no needle marks were found on Vitte’s body, and said there was no evidence a chokehold was applied.

What Happened To Raymond Vitte

UPI- Vitte died at a hospital where he was taken by officers after he stopped breathing in the back of a patrol car.

Lt. Charles Higbie said officers summoned by neighbors in the actor’s Studio City apartment complex found Vitte alone in his apartment clad only in undershorts and a shirt. The actor’s ‘religious shouting’ had continued for more than 12 hours before the neighbors called police, Higbie said.

Vitte ordered the officers off the porch and ‘placed a curse on them,’ he said. In an ensuing struggle, Vitte was struck several times with a baton and sprayed in the face with tear gas.

The actor ran from officers and fell at the side of building’s swimming pool, Higbie said. He then was handcuffed and ‘was carried screaming’ to a squad car to be taken to a hospital for a mental evaluation. Officers noticed on the way that he had stopped breathing and detoured to a closer facility, where Vitte was pronounced dead.

In a press conference at that time, Vitte’s loved ones said there was something really suspicious about those findings…

Donna Summer spoke out in Vitte’s defense:

According to reports, Donna Summer was “baffled” by Raymond Vitte’s death, stating, “I’m devastated because he’s also my brother in Christ and I love him”:

Donna Summer complained bitterly ‘that a man who’s basically minding his own business in his own home, who happens to be creating a disturbance somehow, is now dead because his neighbors called the police. Is it more important that he be quieted and that his neighbors have peace?’ she asked a reporter after the news conference, held at her Hollywood recording studio.

‘We’re less one person because his neighbors complained about some noise. That doesn’t make sense to me. I think it’s more important to have the man and if the man is noisy, OK, that’s one thing. But I think our priorities are very drastically off.’

NAACP questioned the use of force used by police officers

Willis Edwards of the NAACP…criticized the police role in Vitte’s death. He asked the district attorney to investigate and urged the Police Commission ‘to halt the brutalization of black people. It’s an extremely sad day for all black people who live in this community,’ he said. ‘Once again, we have an unfortunate example of excessive police force.’

Actress Sheila Frazier, was angry over her friend’s death:

In a telephone interview with UPI, Sheila Frazier said Vitte was “not a drug-crazed fanatic,” but “a solid, loving man.”

She also suggested that Vitte’s chanting, which police said included the name of Mohammed, may have been the Pentecostal practice of ‘speaking in tongues.’ -via UPI

This sounds foul on many levels and the family of Ray Vitte deserves an unbiased and thorough investigation. It’s been 37 years since his death; and unfortunately, we’re still witnessing “suspicious” deaths/murders at the hands of law enforcement in 2020.  Thus, the details surrounding Vitte’s death are sadly, still very relevant today. May he and the countless other unjustly slain Black and Brown brothas and sistas continue to rest peacefully.

The post After “Car Wash” Actor Died Suspiciously In Police Custody, Many Celebs Were Outraged appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

The two young ladies above, are two of their mother’s pride and joy. We ALL know their Mom very well. Their 70’s/80’s soul-disco Mom has had national and international success, sold millions of records and is worth an estimated $75 million.

This probably isn’t an easy one, so if you got this one right, you’re good. Scroll down to see who she is…

Who’s Their Legendary Mother?

Embed from Getty Images

Their Mother is the late, great Donna Summer! The “Love To Love You Baby” and “Last Dance” soul disco queen! A hand clap to whoever was able to get this one right.

Donna actually has three daughters, Mimi, Brooklyn and Amanda.

Mimi Sommer Dohler is Donna’s eldest child. She’s 45 years old (born 2/16/73) and her father is Donna’s first husband, German actor Helmuth Sommer (pictured below). Mimi, along with her two younger siblings, Brooklyn and Amanda used to sing background vocals on the road with their mom. Mimi is married with 4 children of her own now.

Brooklyn Sudano is Donna’s second born. Her father is Donna Summer’s husband, Bruce Sudano. She’s 37 years old (born 1/5/81) and is an actress, singer and dancer who is probably best known for playing the role of “Vanessa Scott” on the ABC sitcom, My Wife And Kids (starring Tisha Campbell and Damon Wayans) and “Felicia” on the TV series Cuts.

Brooklyn graduated as the valedictorian of her high school, then went on to attend Vanderbilt University and eventually studied at Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York. She’s also modeled for Clairol, K-Mart and Clean and Clear. Donna Summers featured her on her song “Brooklyn,” from her I’m A Rainbow album.

Donna’s youngest daughter, Amanda Sudano is 35 years old (born 8/11/82) and she’s also the daughter of Bruce Sudano. She has modeled for Louis Vutton ads, but she is most known for being in the successful pop singing duo group, Johnnyswim, with her husband, Abner Ramirez. Check out their video below…

Donna Summer would be so proud of her children, may she continue to rest in power.

The post They’re As Beautiful As Their 70s Soul Mom & Fans Are Surprised By Who She Is appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Embed from Getty Images

He died while in police custody of the LAPD, under very suspicious circumstances that many of his family members and friends, like the late singer, Donna Summer, believed were really fishy.

At the time of his death, there were many holes in the story of the police report and his death certificate was allegedly sealed by the LAPD. Raymond Vitte’s wife, Ernesta, was 3 months pregnant when he died and she, Donna Summer, and several others spoke out publicly about their suspicions in the reports you’re about to see.

We wanted to share this with y’all because it’s been 34 years since Vitte’s death and we still are witnessing “suspicious” deaths at the hands of law enforcement in 2017.  Therefore the details surrounding Vitte’s death are still very relevant today…

SEE DETAILS OF ROBERT VITTE’S DEATH & WHAT HIS FRIENDS & FAMILY SPOKE OUT ABOUT

https://www.facebook.com/149567035143488/photos/a.149630471803811.22346.149567035143488/149633921803466/?type=3&theater

Here is what was reported in 1983, shortly after Vitte’s death via United Press International:

The Story Police Officers Reported In Vitte’s Death

Via UPI: Lt. Charles Higbie said officers summoned by neighbors in the actor’s Studio City apartment complex found Vitte alone in his apartment clad only in undershorts and a shirt. The actor’s ‘religious shouting’ had continued for more than 12 hours before the neighbors called police, Higbie said. Vitte ordered the officers off the porch and ‘placed a curse on them,’ he said. In an ensuing struggle, Vitte was struck several times with a baton and sprayed in the face with tear gas. The actor ran from officers and fell at the side of building’s swimming pool, Higbie said. He then was handcuffed and ‘was carried screaming’ to a squad car to be taken to a hospital for a mental evaluation. Officers noticed on the way that he had stopped breathing and detoured to a closer facility, where Vitte was pronounced dead.

Vitte’s Autopsy Results

Actor Raymond Vitte, who died minutes after [an alleged] weekend fight with police, was not beaten to death by the officers, the coroner’s office said… Spokesman Bill Gold said preliminary reports of an autopsy showed ‘superficial injuries consistent with a struggle were found, but they were not responsible for his death.’ He also said no needle marks were found on Vitte’s body, and said there was no evidence a chokehold was applied.

Donna Summer & Others Expressed Their Outrage & Suspicions

Now here is where (in that same 1983 article) Vitte’s family and friends say something is really suspicious about those findings:

Donna Summer and the president of the Beverly Hills-Hollywood chapter of the NAACP held a news conference to question the circumstances surrounding the death of the star. Vitte’s pastor, mother, and his pregnant wife, Ernesta, appeared at the same news conference, defending Vitte’s reputation and questioning circumstances of his death.

Miss Summer complained bitterly ‘that a man who’s basically minding his own business in his own home, who happens to be creating a disturbance somehow, is now dead because his neighbors called the police. Is it more important that he be quieted and that his neighbors have peace?. We’re less one person because his neighbors complained about some noise. That doesn’t make sense to me. I think it’s more important to have the man and if the man is noisy, OK, that’s one thing. But I think our priorities are very drastically off.’ Miss Summer said she was shocked and ‘baffled’ by the death and added, ‘I’m devastated because he’s also my brother in Christ and I love him.’

Willis Edwards of the NAACP…asked the district attorney to investigate and urged the Police Commission ‘to halt the brutalization of black people. It’s an extremely sad day for all black people who live in this community,’ he said. ‘Once again, we have an unfortunate example of excessive police force.’

Actress Friend Recalls His Devoted Christian Beliefs

Actress, Sheila Frazier… said earlier in telephone interviews that Vitte was ‘not a drug-crazed fanatic’ but ‘a solid, loving man.’ She also suggested that Vitte’s chanting, which police said included the name of Mohammed, may have been the Pentecostal practice of ‘speaking in tongues.’

This sounds foul on many levels and after 34 years, the family of Ray Vitte deserves an unbiased and thorough investigation.

The post After “Car Wash” Actor Passed Away Suspiciously, Donna Summer & Others Were Very Pissed appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

[kkgallery kid=”2620″ title=”OMG! U Will NOT Believe Who Their Iconic Black 70s Singer Mom & Grandmom Is!”]

-ILoveOldSchoolMusic, old school news with a new point of view. Come join our ILOSM fam’ on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @iloveoldschoolmusic

The post OMG! U Will NOT Believe Who Their Iconic Black 70s Singer Mom & Grandmom Is! appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

For those of us who are fans of the 70’s film, Car Wash, we all remember the character, “Geronimo,” who was played by actor, Raymond Vitte. Vitte was also know for his roles in the films, 9 To 5 (1980), Up In Smoke (1978), and Thank God It’s Friday (1978), as well as in TV shows like All In The Family, That’s My Mama, Sanford and Son, The Quest, and several more.

The thing that many of us didn’t know was that Vitte died in 1983 at the young age of 33 and what’s equally surprising is the way that he died. He died while in police custody of the LAPD under very suspicious circumstances that many of his family members and friends, like Donna Summer, believed were really fishy.
Loved ones described Vitte as an extremely religious person, who was devoted to his christian faith. At the time of his death, there were many holes in the story of the police report and his death certificate was allegedly sealed by the LAPD. Raymond Vitte’s wife, Ernesta, was 3 months pregnant when he died and she, Donna Summer, and several others spoke out publicly about their suspicions in the article you’re about to read below.

We wanted to share this with y’all because it’s been 33 years since Vitte’s death and we still are witnessing “suspicious” deaths at the hands of law enforcement in 2016.  By the end of 2015, young black men were nine times more likely than any other race to be killed by police officers, and 1,134 of them were murdered by law enforcement in 2015 alone! Therefore the details surrounding Vitte’s death are still very relevant today. Scroll down to read the details below…
Here is what was reported in 1983, shortly after Robert Vitte’s death via United Press International:

LOS ANGELES — Actor Raymond Vitte, who died minutes after [an alleged] weekend fight with police, was not beaten to death by the officers, the coroner’s office said Tuesday.

Spokesman Bill Gold said preliminary reports of an autopsy showed ‘superficial injuries consistent with a struggle were found, but they were not responsible for his death.’ He also said no needle marks were found on Vitte’s body, and said there was no evidence a chokehold was applied.

Now here is where (in that same 1983 article) Vitte’s family and friends say there was something really suspicious about those findings:

Earlier in the day, a group including singer Donna Summer and the president of the Beverly Hills-Hollywood chapter of the NAACP held a news conference to question the circumstances surrounding the death of the star.

Vitte’s pastor, mother and his pregnant wife, Ernesta, appeared at the same news conference, defending Vitte’s reputation and questioning circumstances of his death.

Miss Summer complained bitterly ‘that a man who’s basically minding his own business in his own home, who happens to be creating a disturbance somehow, is now dead because his neighbors called the police.’

‘Is it more important that he be quieted and that his neighbors have peace?’ she asked a reporter after the news conference, held at her Hollywood recording studio.

‘We’re less one person because his neighbors complained about some noise. That doesn’t make sense to me. I think it’s more important to have the man and if the man is noisy, OK, that’s one thing. But I think our priorities are very drastically off.’

Miss Summer said she was shocked and ‘baffled’ by the death and added, ‘I’m devastated because he’s also my brother in Christ and I love him.’

The Rev. Billy Ingram, pastor of the Maranatha Community Church in suburban Inglewood, described Vitte as ‘a diligent and persistent Christian’ and said accounts of his death were not in his character.

Willis Edwards of the NAACP…criticized the police role in Vitte’s death. He asked the district attorney to investigate and urged the Police Commission ‘to halt the brutalization of black people.’

‘It’s an extremely sad day for all black people who live in this community,’ he said. ‘Once again, we have an unfortunate example of excessive police force.’

Actress Sheila Frazier, who did not speak at the news conference, said earlier in telephone interviews that Vitte was ‘not a drug-crazed fanatic’ but ‘a solid, loving man.’

She also suggested that Vitte’s chanting, which police said included the name of Mohammed, may have been the Pentecostal practice of ‘speaking in tongues.’

Vitte died at a hospital where he was taken by officers after he stopped breathing in the back of a patrol car.

Lt. Charles Higbie said officers summoned by neighbors in the actor’s Studio City apartment complex found Vitte alone in his apartment clad only in undershorts and a shirt. The actor’s ‘religious shouting’ had continued for more than 12 hours before the neighbors called police, Higbie said.

Vitte ordered the officers off the porch and ‘placed a curse on them,’ he said. In an ensuing struggle, Vitte was struck several times with a baton and sprayed in the face with tear gas.

The actor ran from officers and fell at the side of building’s swimming pool, Higbie said. He then was handcuffed and ‘was carried screaming’ to a squad car to be taken to a hospital for a mental evaluation. Officers noticed on the way that he had stopped breathing and detoured to a closer facility, where Vitte was pronounced dead.

This sounds foul on many levels and after 33 years years, the family of Ray Vitte deserves an unbiased and thorough investigation.

-ILoveOldSchoolMusic, old school news with a new point of view

The post After Car Wash Actor Died Suspiciously Donna Summer & Others Were Angered appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

We all remember the moans, heavy breathing, the fake orgasm, and the erotic way she sang the lyrics to “Love To Love You.” It practically sounded like a straight up grinding session was going down right there in the sound booth when she recorded the track. Donna always said that wasn’t the case though, and that she was in that booth all by her lonesome, with just the music and her imagination.

Summer revealed some very interesting and shocking truths in a 1979 Penthouse interview where she went into detail about EVERYTHING regarding her sexuality- from using fan mail to…how should I say this…uh…stimulate herself, to fantasies about rape, and well…just keep reading.

ON HER SEXUALITY AND FANTASIES…

Penthouse: [Your] image is that of a supersexed, highly erotic seductress. Is there any relation between that image and the “real” Donna Summer?

Summer: I wouldn’t say so. I think I’m undersexed, actually I am sensual and very physical. I’m very erotic. But my sexuality exists on a sort of a fantasy level.

Penthouse: What are your fantasies?

Summer: Hey, wait a minute, this ain’t a free show! Well, I’ll say I have an incredible ability to fantasize- I really do. I don’t have to have things tangible to be able to see them, and therefore I enjoy so many things, because they’re in my mind. I believe that most people don’t realize or utilize enough of their potential for fantasizing. I think people go out looking to make their fantasies real- they can’t just enjoy them for what they are. But in trying to make them real, they overextend themselves, and as a result it all becomes a nightmare for them, not a joy. There are just certain fantasies that cannot be acted out with another human being. I am talking about fantasies for the sake of fantasies- things that you could never, ever do in your lifetime.

Penthouse: What are yours?

Summer: How can I possibly give you one that I wouldn’t mind seeing in print? Well, let me say it this way. Let’s say that, in reality, I’m basically very shy when it comes to men. I haven’t been with a lot of men in my life. Now I can get off on my thinking what it would be like if I were really like the person that people fantasize about when they think of Donna Summer. I get all kinds of letters which stimulate that fantasy. I get letters telling me about people’s fantasies and dreams about me- people have sent me paintings and pictures. You can’t imagine what these people say to me! One guy had this obsession with seeing Raquel Welch make it with me- oh, and Ann-Margaret, too. I would have a whip or something, and they would be completely at my mercy. He went on for four or five pages, telling me how he found my album in his son’s room and took it, and how he plays it when no one is home and just thinks about these things. It’s amazing.

ON HER FANTASY OF BEING RAPED (Relax, it’s not exactly what you think).

Penthouse: If a fantasy is something that is never really going to happen in one’s life, what is an example of one of your fantasies?

Summer: I could imagine myself in a situation where I’m walking down a dark hallway, going to do my show, and somebody…

The post Donna Summer Revealed Her #1 Sex Fantasy & U Won’t Believe What She Said! appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

These two young ladies are two of their mother’s pride and joy. We ALL know their Mom very well. Their 70’s/80’s soul Mom has had national and international success, sold millions of records and is worth an estimated $75 million.

This probably isn’t an easy one, so if you got this one right, you’re good. Turn the page to see who she is…

The post They’re As Beautiful As Their 70s SOUL MOM, Wait Til U See Who She Is! appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Before this old school legend reached mega success in the entertainment industry, they were cuffing criminals. Let’s see how well you know your old school fun facts. Is it Donna Summer, Donnie Simpson, or Don Cornelius? The only hint we’ll give you is that there’s one thing you know for sure: This celeb’s name starts with the letter ‘D.’  Scroll down to see who was  out here securing the streets…

The Police Officer Was…

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Before he created the hippest trip on television with SOUL TRAIN, Don Cornelius was a Chicago Police Officer on the Southside.

He graduated from DuSable High School in 1954 and joined the Marine Corps, serving 18 months in Korea. He used his military skills to ultimately become an officer.

Frustrated with being an officer for a few years, he quit his day job to take a three-month broadcasting course in 1966, despite being married with two sons and having only $400 in his bank account. That led to him getting a job at WVON (The Voice Of The Negro) as a news reporter.

The next year, he joined the Chicago television station WCIU-TV and hosted a news program called A Black’s View of the News. Three years later, he launched his daily local show called Soul Train on the station he was working for. Of course that would launch into a national syndication after moving to Los Angeles and the rest was history. His show changed the way America saw African American performers and it showcased talent that deserved to seen in mainstream media. For those things among others, we are forever grateful to Mr. Don Cornelius.

On a side note, take a trip down memory lane with us with one of the greatest Soul Train performances of ALL time…

The post One Of These Legends Was Surprisingly A Police Officer Before Making It Big… appeared first on I Love Old School Music.