Shakey Jake (sometimes “Shakin’ Jake”; August 24, 1925 – September 16, 2007), born Jake Woods in

Little Rock, Arkansas Little Rock is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Arkansas, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city's population was 202,591 as of the 2020 census. The six-county Central Arkan ...

, was a street musician and storyteller well known to students and residents of

Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...

, from the time of his arrival there in 1973 until his death. Woods, who had moved as a child with his family from Little Rock to

Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw () is a city in Saginaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. It had a population of 44,202 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located along the Saginaw River, Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township, ...

, travelled from Saginaw to Ann Arbor for a brief appearance at the Ann Arbor Blues Festival in 1973, and decided to stay.“Shakey Jake Movin’ On”
WFMU, Beware of the Blog, Sept. 23, 2007 Jake could be seen regularly on the streets of Ann Arbor in his unconventional clothing, strumming his guitar and singing (generally tuneless) songs to passers-by.Weekend Edition
NPR, April 15, 2006"Remembering Shakey Jake"
Sept. 18, 2007, Michigan Public Radio He also sold cassettes and CDs of his music, and T-shirts and bumper stickers bearing the slogan, “I brake for Jake”.
Ann Arbor News, Sept. 17, 2007 In conversation, Jake enjoyed recounting a variety of implausible stories about his life and upbringing – claiming, for example, that he had been born on Halloween in 1900 and was 104 years old, that he had been a smoker since the age of one, or that he had dozens of invisible bodyguards.
Ann Arbor News, Sept. 19, 2007
Ann Arbor News, October 3, 1999, republished September 19, 2007 Despite his disheveled appearance and quirky conversational style, Jake was unthreatening, and was well-liked by those who knew – or even merely knew of – him. Indeed, he was a welcome patron at many Ann Arbor retail establishments.
Ann Arbor News, Sept. 19, 2007 By many accounts, Jake was one of the most popular parts of the city's annual

Fourth of July Independence Day, known colloquially as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing th ...

parade. Although many believed him to be homeless, he lived in rented rooms or in public housing. Shakey Jake was the inspiration for Calhoun Tubbs, a sketch character created and portrayed by

David Alan Grier David Alan Grier (born June 30, 1956) is an American actor and comedian. Known for his roles on stage and screen, Grier gained popularity playing multiple roles in the American sketch comedy television series '' In Living Color'' (1990–1994) ...

in the television comedy series ''

In Living Color ''In Living Color'' is an American sketch comedy television series that originally ran on Fox from April 15, 1990, to May 19, 1994. Keenen Ivory Wayans created, wrote and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions ...

''. Jake died in 2007 of kidney failure, at the age of 82. A memorial service drew 400 mourners. Afterwards a smaller group paraded for an hour through the streets of Ann Arbor past some of Jake's favorite spots, singing songs and playing instruments."Movin' on! Hundreds say farewell to Shakey Jake"
Ann Arbor News, Sept. 24, 2007

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jake, Shakey 1925 births 2007 deaths People from Ann Arbor, Michigan Street people