The Day the "Music" Died

As reported in the Ann Arbor News, longtime A2 street "musician" Shaky Jake has gone to his final reward, at the presumed age of 82. He was a familiar sight downtown, wearing heavy polyester suits even on the hottest summer days and toting his out-of-tune "two string," though your average Ann Arborite (including yours truly) knew very little about him.

If memory serves, my first encounter with him was circa 1991, at the corner of Packard and State as I walked to Michigan Stadium for the Notre Dame game (we won, if you were curious). He was standing there strumming as the crowd of fans made their way past him toward the stadium, and I remember thinking, "What the hell is that crazy old dude doing with that broken guitar?"

I saw him around many times after that, especially after I moved to Ann Arbor in 2004, but I never actually spoke to him or anything. So that's the entirety of my Shaky Jake memories. Sad to see him go. First Bo, now Jake. Which prominent Ann Arborite will be next? And who's doing the dead pool?