Rainey Riley Cunningham is significant to Soul Train and Howard Hewett. Since she is not a star, her private life is not well known. Still, her story weaves together Soul Train’s rise, late 1970s Los Angeles’ creative scene, Howard Hewett’s early career, and his family.
Rainey is contextually important, based on his public profile. Without seeking attention, she supported a major cultural movement. Behind her polished broadcast image, dancers, assistants, family members, and trusted workers kept the machine running.
Rainey Riley Cunningham and the Soul Train Era
Rainey Riley Cunningham is often called a Soul Train dancer. Some accounts link her to administrative employment as a secretary for program founder, host, and executive producer Don Cornelius. These jobs placed her in one of the 20th century’s most prominent Black entertainment settings.
Soul Train was more than music. A colourful hallway connected television, dancing, fashion, and popular music. Beginning in 1970, the show gave Black artists and listeners a national platform during a time of restricted mainstream media coverage. Dancers showed new moves, singers delivered tunes, and viewers saw Black youth culture evolve.
Work in the atmosphere needed energy and discipline. Don Cornelius usually controlled the program’s presentation. Lighting, camera positioning, choreography, dress, and episode impressions mattered to him. His management was hands-on and enterprising. He wanted Soul Train to be classy, lively, and affirming.
Someone working near Cornelius needed professionalism. Rainey would have faced a demanding production culture whether she danced, worked, or switched between the two. Soul Train appeared effortless on TV, but its smooth surface required preparation.
Her Marriage to Howard Hewett
Rainey married Howard Hewett in 1979. At the time, Hewett was beginning the professional climb that would eventually make him a recognized voice in contemporary R and B and gospel music.
Hewett gained famous as Shalamar’s lead singer and a solo artist. His warm, controlled, and emotional voice helped him have a lengthy career. His link to Soul Train was important because the program showcased and networked upcoming talent.
This marriage lasted till 1983. During those four years, Hewett’s career and public identity grew rapidly. A young family and private household that garnered less notice than the singer’s performances drove that career.
Public stories say Rainey and Howard have two daughters. Informal discussions about divorce and custody are not always documented. I think it’s crucial to discern between confirmed family knowledge and rumour, especially for someone who keeps her personal life private.
The Two Daughters
Rainey and Howard’s daughters have appeared under several names in public records and entertainment references. Variations may reflect nicknames, professional choices, family usage, or differences in documentation.
| Family member | Publicly associated names | Known connections |
|---|---|---|
| Daughter one | LaKiva Siani and Kiva Hewett | Dance, production, choreography, and entertainment |
| Daughter two | Rainey Daze, Rainey Hasan, and Rainey Daze Hewett | Family appearances and public records |
| Former spouse | Howard Hewett | Shalamar, solo music, and gospel performance |
LaKiva Siani and Kiva Hewett
LaKiva Siani, also known as Kiva Hewett, has developed a creative career connected to dance and entertainment production. She has been identified with roles such as creative director, executive producer, and choreographer at Velvet Circus Entertainment.
Her work shows how performance culture shaped the Hewetts. Moon Dance Studio has employed Kiva to teach dance. Her 2012 film Halloween Party and Unsung television appearances are entertainment undertakings.
Kiva’s career goes beyond her father’s music. Owns its rhythm. Her career combines dance, production, staging, and visual storytelling. She carries on her parents’ creative spirit while developing it with her own hobbies.
Rainey Daze and Rainey Hasan
The second daughter is commonly identified as Rainey Daze, Rainey Hasan, or Rainey Daze Hewett. Some public references place her birth around May 1981, shortly before her parents’ divorce.
Rainey Daze is more private than Kiva. Her name appears in family and court records, including a 2017 Los Angeles divorce suit. Her public presence is more related to family gatherings than to a prominent entertainment career.
Her name carries an especially direct connection to her mother, since Rainey appears in several versions of both women’s names. That shared name creates a small but noticeable thread between the private mother and the daughter who occasionally appears in public records.
Howard Hewett’s Wider Family
Howard Hewett has children from other relationships, including Christopher Hewett and Anissa Hewett. This makes Kiva and Rainey Daze their half siblings.
The wider family has occasionally appeared together at events celebrating Howard’s career and personal milestones. A 2025 birthday celebration, for example, brought attention to the family surrounding the singer. These appearances offer brief glimpses of a family network that is rarely documented in detail.
Howard has had decades of Shalamar, solo, gospel, tour, and TV experience. Thus, his children were familiar with a musical name. Their lifestyles have differed. Some worked in creative fields, while others preferred privacy.
Rainey’s Quiet Notability
Rainey Riley Cunningham’s public identity rests on proximity rather than publicity. She was connected to Soul Train, married a rising singer, and became the mother of two daughters with creative and personal ties to the entertainment world.
That doesn’t diminish her tale. The history of television is told by hosts, performers, producers, and stars, but great cultural institutions also depend on less visible workers. The architecture includes dancers, helpers, secretaries, coordinators, spouses, and relatives. Without them, the famed center would fail.
Rainey’s story resembles a hinge. One side opens toward Soul Train and Don Cornelius’s carefully managed television world. The other opens toward Howard Hewett’s family and musical career. She connects those spaces without dominating either one.
Don Cornelius and the World Rainey Entered
Don Cornelius led Soul Train with a mixture of vision and exacting control. He understood that the show had to entertain, but he also believed it represented Black dignity, style, and possibility.
His management approach included several defining traits:
- He was intensely involved in production details.
- He expected polished performances and professional conduct.
- He favored a positive image of Black youth and culture.
- He created opportunities for dancers, musicians, and television workers.
- He protected the identity and ownership of the Soul Train brand.
This environment may inspire and challenge. Cornelius hosted dancers who introduced movements that swept over the country, but he set high standards. The Soul Train line’s spontaneity was intentionally crafted for television.
Rainey’s reported involvement with the program places her inside this balance between freedom and structure. She belonged to a setting where individual expression was encouraged, yet the larger presentation remained under firm supervision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Rainey Riley Cunningham?
Rainey Riley Cunningham is primarily known as Howard Hewett’s first wife and as a person associated with the Soul Train television program. She has been described as a dancer and, in some accounts, as a secretary connected to Don Cornelius.
When did Rainey Riley Cunningham marry Howard Hewett?
Rainey married Howard Hewett in 1979. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1983.
How many children did Rainey and Howard have?
They had two daughters, commonly identified as Kiva Hewett and Rainey Daze. The daughters also appear under several alternate names.
Who is Kiva Hewett?
Kiva Hewett, also known as LaKiva Siani, works in dance and entertainment production. Her professional roles have included creative director, executive producer, and choreographer.
Who is Rainey Daze?
Rainey Daze is also known as Rainey Hasan and Rainey Daze Hewett. She is Howard Hewett’s daughter and has maintained a relatively private life compared with her sister.
Was Rainey Riley Cunningham a Soul Train dancer?
Several public accounts describe her as a Soul Train dancer. Other accounts connect her with secretarial or administrative work near Don Cornelius. The exact scope of her responsibilities is not fully documented.
What is known about Rainey Riley Cunningham’s net worth?
No reliable public figure is available for her net worth. Her finances, assets, and independent business activities have not been widely disclosed.
Is Rainey Riley Cunningham active on social media?
There is little evidence of a substantial public social media presence under her name. Most online references concern her family connections, Howard Hewett, or the Soul Train era.
