Soul Train is an American musical variety television show. After airing locally on WCIU-TV in Chicago, Illinois, for a year, the popular series then aired nationally in syndication from October 2, 1971, to March 25, 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists. The series was created by Don Cornelius, who also served as its first and longest-serving host and executive producer.