Cleveland's Flats area was launching pad for many musicians who made it big

CLEVELAND - When it came to the Cleveland music scene in the 1970s, there may not have been a hotter area than The Flats.

From dancing and listening to DJs, to live music, The Flats was vibrant. At most clubs, you could stand two or three feet from musicians, many who would hit superstardom, like a young Whitney Houston.

Pete Troy ran several clubs and said The Flats was the stop nationally for groups trying to go big. 

"They showcased local talent as well as national acts that were kind of coming up. So you would have groups like DEVO and REM that were playing down in The Flats," he said.

These venues were instrumental for rockers because of the exposure they gained from playing in front of live audiences. 

"You had local talent like Wild Roses and various other groups that would come into the Cleveland area, showcase their talent to making it big," Troy said.