When Rodriguez was unsuccessful with his music, he withdrew into private life. Meanwhile, his songs in South Africa went unnoticed cult. A documentary finally made him world famous.
The US folk singer Sixto Rodriguez, best known from the Oscar-winning documentary “Searching for Sugar Man”, is dead. Rodriguez died on Tuesday at the age of 81, according to his website.
No further details were initially given. Earlier this year, the father of three daughters suffered a stroke and needed surgery, according to his website.
“What sad news,” commented Simon Chinn, who produced Searching for Sugar Man. “He was a true legend and it was an honor to know him. What a privilege to have been able to share his incredible story with the world. Rest in peace Rodriguez – your music will live forever. “
An unusual life story
The “incredible” story mentioned by Chinn and therefore later made into a film tells of a musician who, after an initially unsuccessful career, struggled through life with small jobs for years until his daughter accidentally read on the Internet that her father’s hits were on the other side of the world had achieved cult status.
Rodriguez was born in Detroit in 1942 to Mexican immigrants. He started with music as a child and got his first small performances after school. He also worked in car production. Producers discovered him in the mid-1960s and two albums were made: “Cold Fact” and “Coming From Reality”. However, the success did not materialize and the label dropped Rodriguez again. The musician withdrew into private life and kept his head above water with jobs in construction, among other things.
Late honor
Meanwhile, his music was gaining cult status in a number of countries – including Australia, where he even toured in the late ’70s and early ’80s. But above all in South Africa he became a star. Songs like “Sugar Man”, “I Wonder” and “Climb Up On My Music” became classics there. Many young people saw it as a reflection of their protest against the apartheid regime.
According to Rodriguez himself, he didn’t notice anything about it for a long time – until his eldest daughter read about it in the late 90s on the Internet, which was not very widespread at the time. Rodriguez then went on tour in South Africa and later in other countries around the world. “Thank you for keeping me alive,” the musician told the audience at one of the concerts in South Africa.
The Swedish documentary filmmaker Malik Bendjelloul, who died in 2014, finally pursued the success in South Africa for the documentary “Searching for Sugar Man” and also found Rodriguez in Detroit. The documentary film won an Oscar in 2013 – and made Rodriguez known worldwide.
Message on the website Tweet by Chinn
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
