You think Sparky Anderson has to show his
driver's license and two pieces of credit ID when he wants to charge
something?
Of course not. The Tiger skipper is a towering face on our human
skyline. Everybody knows him. Just like Mayor Young.
Who doesn't know him? Or folks like Bill Bonds, Lee Iacocca, Dick
Purtan, Isiah Thomas, and Aretha Franklin.
But when you're looking at our human skyline, take a look down there
in the corner of the camera, away from the spotlight, tucked in the
background, just strumming his fingers off, grinning-grimacing, as only
he can, sits the ever-moving Doug Jacobs playing another cheerleading
banjo flourish for the famous worthy of this town.
Doug Jacobs: Mr. Red Garter Band. Detroit has no official
band that I know of. The police have the Blue Pigs. Dr.
Leonard Smith's Detroit Concert Band is his, not the city's. The
Detroit Symphony is certainly not our band.
Dougie Jacobs' Red Garter Band says Detroit better than anything.
This is Doug Jacobs special weekend; the Jerry Lewis WJBK-TV Channel
2 Muscular Dystrophy Telethon. Producers, directors, anchors,
reporters, deejays, cops, vets, children, roller-skaters, check-bearers,
marathoners, politicians, clowns, entertainers, celebs, etc., may come
and go, but Doug Jacobs and the Red Garter Band are always there at
every break. He is our MD telethon tradition.
It's Doug's 17th year playing segments on and off. He creates
a constant musical excitement for 21-plus hours that is as genuine and
real as the sweat pouring from him. He's the hardest-working most-energized
banjo player in the world. His is the longest consecutive service
by any of the volunteers.
|
He also holds a remarkable record his wife,
Nancy Kader-Jacobs, will attest to in amazement. In 20 years of
performing in this town for free and for pay, Doug Jacobs has never
missed a performance because of illness. Ponder that incredible
piece of information and consider we're talking 300-plus gigs a year.
Let me lay another incredible Doug Jacobs' fact on you: When he
does a charity gig and does it without charge, he always pays his musicians
out of his own pocket. Doug does so many charity affairs he says
he could not expect them to play without compensation.
Doug knows so few musicians in this town make a living that way.
He considers himself lucky to be one of that few who do. Doug
still thanks his mother for music lessons which gave him a career.
Twenty years ago, Doug Jacobs arrived in his newly adopted home with
Red Garter franchise he brought from San Francisco. He opened
the Red Garter Saloon downtown.
What a place this was! Noisy, bustling, straw boaters, popcorn,
peanuts and shells everywhere -- an original good-time bar where everyone
had fun. I can remember once, when Doug had Fats Domino guesting,
I introduced the distinguished ex-governor Soapy Williams to Detroit's
first No. 1 topless dancer, Danielle LaPointe, and they did the boogie
to "Ain't That a Shame" which had all our heads spinning.
Urban renewal shut down the bar but turned on Doug to taking his special
music on the road. He's one of the few musicians who almost routinely
gets thank-you notes from his clients along with their checks.
Dougie, this column has been too long coming -- you deserved it after
your first decade here -- but would you consider it a heartfelt, genuine
love letter and thank-you from all the millions you've made grin and
tap their feet? We love you, pal! |
