The subject of one of the most fascinating music documentaries ever, the 81-year-old Sixto Rodriguez passed away in his sleep at his home in Detroit on 9 August, 2023. The acclaimed Mexican-American singer-songwriter's death came as something of a shock, having been in good health in recent years. Fans took to social media to voice their tributes to the true music legend whose enigmatic persona and soulful music will live on.
A sad loss, the man's inspirational story was captured by the Oscar-winnning music documentary, Searching for Sugar Man. A real-life fairy tale, the touching chronicle relayed the incredible story of Sixto Rodriguez, who achieved cult status in South Africa. Virtually unknown in his native United States, the fillm documents the music artist's deeply entrenched following and pop culture phenomenon with folk music interpreted as songs of resistance against apartheid. As Spling put it in his 8/10 Searching for Sugar Man review, "This true story is like a dream, fleeting and well-versed in an elusive truth about the music industry, ambition, fame, self-promotion and what's really important in life."
Powered by the music that made him famous, the stirring documentary Searching for Sugar Man follows Stephen Segerman and Craig Bartholomew-Strydom, two die-hard fans of Rodriguez. In an interview with Segerman, the Maby Vinyl record store owner described Rodriquez as "reserved, contemplative, philosophical, enigmatic and deep-thinking", faithfully captured in the documentary.
Having made a name for himself as a music icon in South Africa, inspiring artists like Dave Matthews and local musos such as Ard Matthews who covered the Rodriguez anthem 'Sugar Man', a point of interest morphed into a full-blown armchair investigation. Both heavily invested in the music scene, the lifelong fans set out to find out what had become of the enigmatic Rodriguez in a bid to learn the truth about his mysterious disappearance and why he hadn't reached a third album.
Rodriguez released two albums in the United States in the late 1960s, 'Cold Fact' and 'Coming from Reality', both deemed to be commercial failures at the time. He was subsequently dropped by his record label and went back to working as a construction worker. Yet, his albums and music found resonance with the folk music scene in South Africa where Rodriguez's raw power and socially conscious lyrics hit home with themes of poverty, injustice and the struggle for freedom.
As documented in Searching for Sugar Man, Segerman and Bartholomew-Strydom eventually tracked Rodriguez down to Detroit, where he was living in poverty. They helped him revive his career from obscurity to realise his untapped fan base, which prompted a long-awaited tour of South Africa. Rodriguez's story is a reminder that even the most niche artists can have a profound impact on people's lives. His music inspired hope and resilience in South Africans during a time of great political and social upheaval and his story is a testament to the power of music to connect people from all over the world.
