Mike “Mad Dog” Adams performs each summer at The Round House Bar on Put-in-Bay. (Submitted photo)

BY SHERI TRUSTY

Mike “Mad Dog” Adams is as much a part of the Lake Erie Islands scene as the water itself. (Submitted photo)

PUT-IN-BAY – Singer, songwriter, comedian, musician, poet and bar room philosopher, Mike “Mad Dog” Adams, is celebrating 45 years of bringing his fun and boisterous shows to the Lake Erie Islands and Put-in-Bay’s Round House Bar. Adams not only has the distinction of being the longest-running performer in the Lake Erie Islands area, but he is also one of the most popular.

Adams signed his first contract with The Round House Bar in 1980, and that swipe of the pen launched a career that would take his performances around the world and set him up as an opening act for some of the hottest names in entertainment, including Johnny Cash, Alabama, Loretta Lynn, Charlie Daniels, Starship, Jerry Lee Lewis and Bob Saget.

The late Teri Winchester, a longtime general manager for The Round House Bar, was the first to recognize Adams’ talent. She offered him that initial contract in 1980.

“She did all the hiring of acts. She was something special,” Adams said. “I still have that original contract.”

Adams said it is difficult to pinpoint a highlight of his 45 years in entertainment, but looking back, he is gratefully amazed at the opportunities he was given.

“I opened for a lot of big country stars in the ‘80s. That’s a lot more special in hindsight,” he said. “But it’s not one thing. It’s all been incredible.”

Adams has recorded three albums, and he has appeared on The Comedy Channel, Nashville Network, the Dr. Demento Show, Sunday Funnies, Nightshift and local television and radio shows throughout the U.S. He has appeared in the films “Outta Hand,” “In Dubious Battle,” “Zeroville,” “The Long Home” and “Lost and Found in Cleveland.” He is a recurring character in Bob Adamov mystery novels, including the recently released, “Breakwater Bay.”

Adams spends winters on the road headlining music and comedy clubs large and small from British Columbia and Alaska to the Cayman Islands and Mexico and throughout the United States. When his daughters Kristen and Shauna were young, they traveled with their father around the world and followed him into the entertainment business. Kristen earned an award for production on The Ellen Show, and Shauna worked in communications for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

“They would bring me a cigarette and a drink on stage when they were little. You could do that then,” Adams said.

That touch of raw, adult humor defines his shows.

Mike “Mad Dog” Adams is as much a part of the Lake Erie Islands scene as the water itself. (Submitted photo)

“I call my shows the Perch Church Social Club. We sing, we laugh, we drink, we have fun, and we poke holes in life’s absurdity,” he said. “It’s conch blowin’, tambourine-shaking fun. It’s adult humor, salty jokes and such. It’s a room full of people singing and laughing.”

When Adams signed that first contract in 1980, some people told him he wouldn’t succeed in the entertainment world. Forty-five years of popularity has proven them wrong.

“Life has not been easy. We all have to work hard to pursue our dreams,” he said. “But I succeeded because I had a good base: the Lake Erie islands. That helped me succeed.”

While he was performing around the world in the winter, he always knew there was a welcome mat on the edge of the lake waiting for him each summer.

“Having places like Put-in-Bay and The Round House enabled me to do other things professionally,” he said. “I’m very grateful for that opportunity.”

And the islands have also reaped the rewards of Adams’ success. He has a fan base from around the world that travels to the islands for his performances, bringing their desire for a good time – and their open wallets – with them.

“I’m a part of Put-in-Bay. I like being a spoke in that wheel,” he said.

The public is invited to attend one of Adams’ legendary afternoon performances at The Round House Bar, where they’ll get drawn into the mix of song, comedy and lake life and learn to agree with Adams as he shouts his signature, ““Every Day Above Ground Is A Gooood Day!”

For more information, visit www.mikemaddogadams.com.