'Upbeat,' WEWS Make Rock History
Special Ceremony Will Be Held
"Upbeat" was seen in more than 100 cities each week in the 1960s.
Popular rock 'n' roll star Otis Redding gave his last performance in the studio before he and his band died in a plane crash the next evening.
The entertainers who appeared on "Upbeat" used the show to polish up on their acts before heading to the East Coast to become big stars. Thanks to WEWS, most of them went on to become superstars.
With all the history at NewsChannel5, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has decided to honor "Upbeat" as a "Rock Around the Town Landmark."
Hall of Fame president Terry Stewart made the announcement Thursday and shared his personal memories of "Upbeat."
"When I was in college I only watched 'Star Trek,' 'Wild Wild West' and 'Upbeat,'" Stewart said. "It was, I think, the best teen dance show of the '60s and they had the widest range of bands other than 'Bandstand,' which always got first call. But Don Webster and the people he had on were just incredible."
Next month, the Rock Hall will have a special ceremony to recognize the WEWS building as a landmark in music history.
Other plans for the Rock Hall include a fund-raiser and a teen idol exhibit.
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