Don Cornelius, host and creator of 'Soul Train,' died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Los Angeles Wednesday, according to the police.

The shooting report of the 75-year-old host was made around 4 a.m. to the police and he was declared dead as he was admitted to a hospital.

Police point out foul play in the death and said a search of the house did not reveal a suicide note. Detectives were conducting interviews to learn more about Cornelius's mental state.

Soul Train, which was aired for more than 35 years on the television, had regular appearances of musical giants like Michael Jackson, James Brown and Aretha Franklin. The show represented a major advance in entertainment for African Americans.

Most of what we get credit for is people saying, 'I learned how to dance from watching Soul Train back in the day,'  Cornelius told Vibe magazine in 2006.

But what I take credit for is that there were no black television commercials to speak of before 'Soul Train.' There were few black faces in those ads before 'Soul Train.' And what I am most proud of is that we made television history, he added.

Viewers were initially attracted by the hit songs of top performers, but teenagers dancing at the show's studio kept drawing them back.

Young people of all races looked to Soul Train each week as a monitor of cultural trends.

The videos below show Don's musical moments with Michael Jackson, Elton Jones and other celebrities.

Elton John sings Benny & The Jets live on Soul Train in 1975, episode 141. Watch Here:

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