Think what you will about the raw, deliberately offensive nature of his act, Jim Freeman--The King of Raunch & Roll--has become a veritable cultural fixture in the Detroit area. He has endured.

Here's a guy who, for nearly four decades, has played, thrived and survived in Detroit's gritty working-class bars. All around town, but mainly on the east side, there are numerous hard-core Freeman fans who try to catch him every year or two, confident he'll still be there, just like the Edison smokestacks or something. They saw him in the early '70s, doing his rock routine at Dirty Helen's downtown. They've followed him around to a dozen bars since Freeman tends to stick in a place a year or so before moving on. He's been to Chicago, Toledo, Las Vegas and more, but he always comes back. This is his town, his turf, his material.

Like other long-time local entertainment Freeman stands pre-eminent. There's simply no other act around town quite like his. For better or worse, the guy's unique.