To Shakey Jake, life in ol' Ann Arbor is full of stories and songs

As the days rumble along in Ann Arbor, students plan their futures, corporate types hit the offices, and everyday people go about their everyday lives.

The same is true in the days of Shakey Jake, a famed Ann Arbor personality. In his pink sunglasses, pink hat and large bow tie, Jake goes about his business day in a day out - loyally visiting the Bagel Factory and Deli on South University Ave., greeting customers, signing autographs and playing his guitar.

Generations of Ann Arborites have met or heard stories about Shakey Jake, a man who always has something to say. Some of his stories sound hard to believe ... but others are right on.

Born in Little Rock, Ark., Jake said he had 14 brothers and sisters and "a good mother. She died in 1974 at 106. Good woman." Bill Clinton lived 10 miles away, he said. "I remember when he was running for governor." Jake added that he thinks Clinton

JOHN KRAFT/Daily Shakey Jake dances with Ann Arbor resident Callie Dean at last year's Blues and Jazz Festival, which Jake called "the most fun I've had in 25 years."

is a decent guy in spite of recent allegations.

As the story goes, Jake was in New Orleans in 1948, playing his trusty guitar on Bourbon Street, where he joined the likes of B.B. King, The Supremes and James Brown in front of the Shakey Jake Bar ("They named it after me," he claimed).

One day, he recounted, some college students took him to Ann Arbor. "They came and got me. They wanted me to come along," he said.

To this day, Jake enjoys playing blues, reggae, love songs and church songs.

"You name it, I can play it. I taught it all to myself, it ain't hard," he said. "I walk down the street and play it all day. It's part of my job."

Jake said that when he arrived in Ann Arbor 50 years ago, there was no crime and locals used to ride "the horse and buggy. I serious!" He said that people just left their doors open knowing that the neighborhood was safe. But today is different, he said.

"I know them violent people, but I see 'em and I try to keep the conversation short," he said. "I know what streets to stay off of so I don't have any trouble."

Jake said he is a self-made man responsible for his own education. He never attended school and never learned how to read, but he said he is proud of what he has learned from life.

"I got my own school right here," he said. "What's important is just to keep goin' ... I can tell when I meet a person how they are. I know human nature."

Regarding education, Jake said he feels that today's youths are clueless about life. "They don't understand life, just how to get money."

Jake said his work involves being both a musician and psychologist, as well as selling T-shirts, postcards and bumper stickers decorated with his picture. He also advertises for the Bagel Factory, which uses the tag line: "We bake for Jake."

But he said his job acting as a psychologist to Ann Arborites is his most important one.

"I get 'bout three or four calls a day," he said. "When people can't sleep, they call me and I go talk to them. I had a lot of interesting cases, but most are just uptight, and when they have a problem, they call me.

"They know where I'm at. That's life, I'm used to it."

Frequently, messages are left for Jake at The Bagel Factory, which he claims is his office. "I get all my messages here," he said, sitting at a table, signing autographs and talking to admiring customers. ("This is da man!" one commented.) "If you want me, you call Bagel Factory. Isn't that nice? My own headquarters."

Workdays might be long for Jake, and he said he is awake 18 hours per day. But he said he loves what he does.

"I always got time. I make time for people with problems," he said. "That's what I do. In 50 years, I ain't never had a day off. I don't want no day off, I keep goin'. I play my music and I do my psychology job and ... oh yeah, I don't have any problems. I have a good life."

One distinguishing feature about Jake is his hands - wrinkled from experience and full of life. Ask him to demonstrate, and he'll show you that he can write his name with both hands.

"I used these hands to play ball ... remember Joe Louis? I used to play softball with him."

With such a unique history and such adoring fans in the Ann Arbor area, Shakey Jake is always around, greeting people and singing his tunes without any complaints. Talk to him about anything, and he always has something to say. "So I blow in the wind. I don't have no problems," he said.

04-09-98