Don Cornelius
By now you may have been assuming that “Soul Train,” which made its national debut in 1971, had come to the end of its long run. You assumed right. The show Don Cornelius created — and hosted during the peak years — stopped filming in 2006. But now plans are in the works for a film, tentatively titled “Soul Train: The Movie.”

The plot in the buddy comedy revolves around two male dancers on the show who, according to Cornelius, “get into a lot of good stuff and some bad stuff as well.” There will be “lots of music” and “a little bit of violence.” He also promises that the movie will be “more than slightly sexual.”

Filming has not yet begun. They are in the script-writing phase.

“Soul Train” came on particularly strong in the 1970s, when the show was hugely influential — people still do the “Soul Train line” at parties — and we knew the names of the regulars.

My favorite was Damita Jo Freeman, followed by Patricia Davis. You might also remember Tyrone Proctor, Sharon Hill, Fawn Quinones, James Phillips, Vickie Abercrombie and Lil’ Joe Chism, among others. And, of course, Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel became part of Shalamar, and Darnell Williams became a soap opera star (“All My Children”).

Interestingly, many of the “Soul Train” regulars also began dancing on the show that started it all, “American Bandstand.” Don Cornelius was not pleased, but he could not stop them because they were not under contract, and because they were so popular, he didn’t want to ban them from his show.

“Soul Train” for many years was indeed “the hippest trip in America.”

HERE IS an interesting question: What is it that Elton John, Teena Marie, the Manhattan Transfer, Robin Thicke, Michael Bolton, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Christina Aguilera, Herb Alpert, New Kids on the Block, Michael Bolton, the Beastie Boys, David Bowie, Michael McDonald, Gino Vannelli and Sheena Easton have in common?

They are among the relatively few White artists who made appearances on “Soul Train.”

One book yours truly looks forward to reading is Bobby Brown’s autobiography, “The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing But…” Certainly he has an interesting story to tell, and that’s putting it mildly. His many personal issues notwithstanding, I have always felt that it was wrong to put all of the blame on Brown for ex-wife Whitney Houston’s problems involving drugs and other things. Truth is, they were basically two of a kind.

Chris Brown, who is sometimes compared to Michael Jackson and Usher, says he will get started on his third album in the fall. Since he is approaching age 21, Brown feels he can now “get a little dirty, but not R. Kelly dirty.”


Aretha Franklin
ARETHA FRANKLIN sent yours truly an angry e-mail regarding an item in the column last week. (Yet another overreaction.) She said her being introduced as “the empress of music” recently at Radio City Music Hall had nothing to do with her being mad about Beyoncé introducing Tina Turner as “the queen” on the Grammy show. She said it was someone else’s idea. (If so, I stand corrected.)

But I didn’t say it was a fact. I said it was an assumption. She even accused me of “printing things that are not true, trying to influence the public.” (Rarely is what I write inaccurate, and if a mistake is brought to my attention, I correct it in print.)

After telling me to “have a super day,” she added, “I don’t need you…to tell me who I am. I know who I am and have known for the last 66 years. Now print this if you have the heart.”

Well, Aretha, as you can see, I have no problem printing your comments. I, too, know who I am, and I don’t need you to tell me what to write.

You have a super day, too.

Despite our occasional “skirmishes,” Aretha and I respect each other. (No pun intended.) Not once has she responded to anything positive I have written about her, and that has been often over a 35-year-plus period. Only when it is something she finds upsetting.

The last time I looked, the stockhead said “Reflections, By Steve Holsey.” And I would think that Aretha would have things to focus on other than perceived slights.

I will not be intimidated. However, life goes on and I sincerely wish Aretha Franklin well.

IT’S NICE that Keith Sweat has returned to the recording scene, but “Just Me” has “ho-hum” written all over it. Nearly all of the cuts, with the exception of “Sexiest Girl,” have that ordinary, heard-it-before feel. Plus, there is something annoying, for some of us at least, when all or nearly all of the music on an album is computer generated. Real musicians just sound different, and better, than machines.

SOLANGE KOWLES, younger sister of superstar Beyoncé, has done some recording in the past, but now she is ready to shift into full-speed-ahead mode. She has been signed by Geffen Records, one of the big companies, and has been in the studio. It is expected that the CD will be released before year’s end.

Speaking of new releases, Whitney Houston fans will have to wait until the holiday season for her long-awaited new one. Since Houston has been through so much drama in her personal life and has been mostly off the charts, there is a lot riding on this CD.

Super producer/record label owner Clive Davis, who discovered Whitney Houston, is taking it slow, tending to every detail, and laying the groundwork for the tarnished diva’s triumphant return.

So what’s up with Maxwell? We were given the impression that something new was imminent. We read about the album, saw new pictures of Maxwell with his shortly cropped hair, etc. Then, nothing.

Candi Staton had a lot of R&B hits to her credit — “Young Hearts Run Free,” “I’d Rather Be an Old Man’s Sweetheart (Than a Young Man’s Fool),” etc. — before switching to gospel. She is still a gospel act, but is also on the national dance charts right now with “Love Sweet Sound” by Groove Armada featuring Candi Staton.

BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW…that Kelly Rowland, formerly of Destiny’s Child, has a huge hit in Australia with “Work.”

MEMORIES: “Good Times” (Chic), “Tighten Up” (Archie Bell & the Drells), “Holding Back the Years” (Simply Red), “Stop the War Now” (Edwin Starr), “Any Love” (Luther Vandross), “Harvest For the World” (the Isley Brothers), “Sweet Baby” (Stanley Clarke and George Duke), “Rhythm of the Night” (DeBarge), “The Comfort Zone” (Vanessa Williams), “Slip Away” (Clarence Carter).

BLESSINGS to Charles Rudolph (thanks for the interesting reading material!), Steve Fullum, Delores Wyatt, Marva Stafford, Jay Lloyd, Genevieve Johnson, Fred Goree, Van Esther Griffin, Thelma Myles, Sylvia Quarles and Leland Stein.

WORDS OF THE WEEK: “When you choose love, honesty, appreciation and forgiveness, you will always win.”
Let the music play!

(Steve Holsey may be reached at Svh517@aol.com and P.O. Box 02843, Detroit, MI 48202.)