The End of An Era: Musical Innocence Lost

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMVqvBmTZro&feature=fvsr

The End of An Era: Musical Innocence Lost
By Chris L. Gilrath II

When I found out about the death of Soul Train creator Don Cornelius last week, I put off writing about his death mainly due to shock and not really knowing what to say just yet. Now just a week later, comes the tragic news of Whitney Houston’s untimely yet possibly unsurprising death. As I think of both of these pioneers, I can’t help but think of the first time I saw Whitney Houston on Soul Train in the spring of 1985. I remember asking my dad, “Who is this woman?” Little did I know that she would go on to win over 400 awards, six Grammy awards, Emmy’s and become the biggest selling female artist of the century. Little did I know then the global impact that she would have on so many over the years. Little did I know that today, I would be writing about her untimely demise.

I think about the impact that both these pioneers had on my childhood. You could not say Saturday morning without saying Soul Train. I remember being mad on Saturdays when Soul Train did come on. It was a crucial part of our history and as we celebrate Black History month, I cannot help but think of the contributions that Don Cornelius made to it. He started Soul Train with $400. The show was his. He allowed artist like Whitney Houston to shine and flourish when other shows were not exactly welcoming us on. Name one wedding reception, family reunion, Christmas party, or 4th of July picnic where we did not do the Soul Train line. How many of us got our dances from Soul Train? It transcends generations. Rarely was there a show that we could talk to our parents about. It was something we had in common. Our parents grew up to it as teenagers and so did we. You cannot say that about shows around today. Other than soap operas (which are also becoming obscure) what other shows withstood the test of time like Soul Train?

As I look at the video I posted of Whitney Houston back in 1985 on Soul Train, I think about the simple ease of my childhood. I think about all the people that were still with us both in my family and in the entertainment industry. I think of how happy Whitney looked here and how her life was then compared to how her life was now. Did she know what she was going to have to endure? I feel innocence in watching this video both for myself and for Whitney. I cannot help but wonder what happened to this Whitney Houston over the last decade. What caused her to spiral? I do not pretend to know the pain that a lot of people deal with in this industry, but it has to be great. As I focus on Whitney, I think of this appearance back in 85. I choose to remember this legend for her hits such as "You Give Good Love" to "Exhale (Shoop, Shoop)". I choose to focus on Don Cornelius’s impact on Whitney Houston and her ex-husband Bobby Brown and his group New Edition, Chaka, Aretha and many more. I think of the global impact that Whitney and Don had not just on African-Americans but all people across the globe.

Name female singers of today such as Christina Aguilera, Brittany Spears, Taylor Swift, and others and ask them who their influence was and they would say “Whitney”. No last name would even need to be mentioned. Her music transcended color lines. She was a pioneer. Her music brought people together. And while she may not have been a revolutionary, writing about change or world issues which she rarely talked about, she sang about love, happiness, and the ups and downs of everyday life, which is something we all could relate to. These two deaths have rocked the industry to its core.

So many of our creative legends such as Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway,Amy Winehouse and Michael Jackson to name a few had personal demons. It is sad that we focus on how they died as opposed to what they gave us. Unfortunately, Whitney and Mr. Cornelius have been added to that list. These legends opened doors. As we celebrate this historic month lets remember what they have given us. Their personal lives are another story and we know the mainstream media is going to focus on that but as we think of these artists lets remember that they paved the way. The paid a lot of dues so that artists of today would not have to. The music industry will never be the same. God bless the Cornelius and Houston families.

My Favorite Whitney Songs:

1. You Give Good Love
2. Saving All My Love For You
3. Greatest Love of All
4. Exhale (Shoop, Shoop)
5. It's Not Right But It's Ok