With the news of the BET Awards 2009 making last minute alterations to pay tribute to the pop star Michael Jackson, it was expected to be a memorable show. Don Cornelius of the Soul Train fame remembered his experience with Jackson while talking about him onstage. Don who had Known Jackson since childhood but only as a young singer onstage mentioned about the huge talent that the pop star possessed since childhood. It was in the mid 1960s when Don encountered MJ from among the five brothers from Indiana who were performing to covers of the then established bands namely the Temptations. The then four feet tall young Jackson’s vocal skills and dance onstage caught the eyes of Cornelius as he reminisced.

Drooping in the sadness of the pop star’s death, Cornelius added, “His passing will be grieved far beyond that of any other singer, composer, producer, dancer and choreographer in the history of the world. Indeed, in my firmest personal belief, there will never, ever be another Michael Jackson.”
It was on the occasion of the announcement of the winner of the Lifetime Achievement award that Don was on stage and according to reports he took quite a long time in announcing the O’Jays as the winner. They rose seconds before the name was announced and while accepting the award they remarked on Cornelius being “slow”.

Though being known as TV host and producer of Afro-American origin, Don Cornelius is famous for the creation of Soul Train, a national syndicate dance/music franchise that he also hosted from 1971 to 1993.