<Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> External links </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Website </Th> <Td> www.soultrain.com </Td> </Tr> <P> Soul Train was an American music - dance television program which aired in syndication from October 2, 1971 to March 25, 2006 . In its 35 - year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, dance / pop and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco and gospel artists also appeared . The series was created by Don Cornelius, who also served as its first host and executive producer . </P> <P> Production was suspended following the 2005--2006 season, with a rerun package (known as The Best of Soul Train) airing for two years subsequently . As a nod to Soul Train's longevity, the show's opening sequence during later seasons contained a claim that it was the "longest - running first - run, nationally syndicated program in American television history," with over 1,100 episodes produced from the show's debut through the 2005--2006 season . Despite the production hiatus, Soul Train held that superlative until 2016, when Entertainment Tonight surpassed it completing its 35th season . Among non-news programs, Wheel of Fortune will surpass it in 2018 . </P>

When did soul train go off the air