# Soul Train (1971)

> A long-running American syndicated music variety show showcasing soul, R&B and hip hop performers and their dancers.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/3164

## Facts

- Seasons: 5
- Episodes: 56
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: music, reality
- Created by: Don Cornelius
- Network: Centric
- Cast: Don Cornelius, Prince, Michael Bland, Sonny Thompson, Morris Hayes, Tommy Barbarella, Nona Gaye, Mayte Garcia
- TMDB rating: 8.1/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0161194/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: joyful, energetic, celebratory, warm, stylish

## Synopsis

Soul Train (1971-2006) is an American musical variety show created by Don Cornelius, who also hosted it and served as executive producer for its syndicated run. Cornelius presides over studio performances built around live acts from the worlds of soul, R&B, funk, jazz, disco, gospel and hip hop, with dancers filling the floor in front of the cameras. Rather than a plot, the series is made of its episodes: each hour moves through a lineup of musical guests and dance numbers, tracing the rhythm of a popular music culture as it changed across decades. The tone is celebratory, warm and energetic, with an emphasis on joy, style and community. The show's production ran through the 2005-06 season, with more than 1,100 episodes produced, and it held a long-standing claim to being the longest-running first-run nationally syndicated program in television history. Its live performance format made it a touchstone alongside American Bandstand and Showtime at the Apollo for viewers who came to music television through dance and performance. Fans of retro music programming and soul performance will find it a lasting record of a musical era.

## Shows like Soul Train

- [The Jacksons: An American Dream (1992)](https://ember.film/tv/8642)
- [MTV Unplugged (1989)](https://ember.film/tv/5359)
- [World of Dance (2017)](https://ember.film/tv/62777)
- [Diff'rent Strokes (1978)](https://ember.film/tv/2290)
- [Step Up (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/65391)
- [Saturday Night Live: 40th Anniversary Special (2015)](https://ember.film/tv/1105036)
- [The Steve Harvey Show (1996)](https://ember.film/tv/3904)
- [America's Best Dance Crew (2008)](https://ember.film/tv/6585)
- [Yo Gabba Gabba! (2007)](https://ember.film/tv/13756)
- [The Next Step (2013)](https://ember.film/tv/55479)

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