CLEVELAND -- Today is the big day. The WEWS studio will be designated a rock 'n' roll historic landmark.

This is being done because of the 1960s and 1970s show "Upbeat," which was hosted by NewsChannel5's Don Webster.

The show influenced artists and fans all over the nation.

When the show debut in 1964 and ran until 1971. It aired in 83 television markets across the country.

The exposure was crucial for up-and-coming artists says Bill Randle, a radio show host. He says that it also affected the music that was played over the airwaves.

Exposure Helped Artists

"Once they were on "Upbeat," then the DJs that played that kind of music all over the country had to play the records, because the kids started buying them," Randle says. "They made the in-person appearances, and then you had a star."

The exposure can be compared to the current music shows such as MTV and VH-1.

Dance, Dance -- No Politics

The show also gave people a chance to escape from the turmoil and strife of the 1960s and 70s.

Arline Burks-Gant, an Upbeat dancer, says that the producer, Herman Spero, refused to use the show as a political forum. Instead, he focused on having fun.

"What I remember about him, he was just a very nice guy who didn't want to hear about the mess. He just wanted a good show."

'Upbeat' Dancers Set Trends

The "Upbeat" dancers were considered the coolest kids in town because they got to meet all of the hottest acts in rock 'n' roll.

"It was a great job," Sam Ashmun Gabel, former Upbeat dancer, says. "I enjoyed meeting a log of people and working with a lot of people from diverse backgrounds."

Jim Stallard, another dancer, says, "It was great. You had celebrity status, and it was one of the best experiences of my life, and I'll always remember it."

WEWS says that the creative choreography started dance crazes across America. Those dances included the boog-a-loo, shing-a-ling and the mashed potato.

Jeff Kutash was responsible for the moves.

"We were forced in one week of rehearsal to create four or five dance routines, so the audience would say, 'That's really cool,' " he says. "It became our passion and mission."

Kutash, who is now a choreographer in Las Vegas, went on to develope routines for Michael Jackson and John Travolta.