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Bet has made a smart programming choice, they're bringing back Video Soul - sort of. No doubt in an effort to reinforce that BET is home to black music, the cable network will broadcast old epsiosdes of the show which helped to propel the network as an early player in the music video arena.
Video Soul itself is reminicsent of a BET that saw a need and filled it. A time when BET was figuratively and literally the only voice of black music videos. When MTV showed only Prince, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie videos, BET was there highlighting true Soul artists, both veterans and up and comers. The network only ran programming half a day - if at all in your area - but when they were on you were glued to Video Soul and the green-eyed bandit himself, Donnie Simpson. Obviously influenced by Don Cornelius, Donnie and Video Soul provided a perfect transistion from Soul Train 70's to the video craze of the 80's - a 24-hour, always on, always jamming decade. The rebroadcast of Video Soul sends a message that no matter how diverse BET is and attempts to become, their foundation and roots lie in black music. Its what brought viewers and helped launch the network among mainstream cable networks. Video Soul was a BET mainstay. Donnie held down the fort, showcasing hot new artists and their videos to an audience hungry to see themselves reflected in the then, new music outlet. No doubt, Donnie was as important to the careers of Mary J. Blige and R. Kelly as Don Cornelius was to a Minnie Riperton or Barry White. An apperance on Video Soul guaranteed a hot rating for an artist and assured their track's acceptance among R&B playlists. Through its long run, Video Soul stayed true to its format - video play, an artist interview and a live performance. Although Donnie eventually took on a co-host, Sherri Carter, he remained the main interviewer and show's focal point - providing a comfortable constant. Video Soul was pretty much the only game in town, but that's a minor factor in its success. The show's blend of video play and host interaction was more essential. Donnie handled his business without dominating the show or overstating his presence. His manner always reflected that the music was the most important element of the show. And he showcased the videos and artists with an enthusiasm that confirmed he was as big a fan as we were.
The copyright of the article Video Soul: Video Gold in R&B/Soul Music is owned by . Permission to republish Video Soul: Video Gold in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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