Singer and songwriter Sixto Rodriguez, topic of ‘Searching for Sugar Man’ documentary, dies at 81
4 min readBy Associated Press
DETROIT: Singer and songwriter Sixto Rodriguez, who turned the topic of the Oscar-winning documentary “Searching for Sugar Man,” has died. He was 81.
Rodriguez’ demise Tuesday in Detroit was introduced on the Sugarman.org web site and confirmed Wednesday by his granddaughter, Amanda Kennedy.
A 2013 Associated Press story referred to Rodriguez as “the greatest protest singer and songwriter that most people never heard of.”
His albums flopped within the United States within the Nineteen Seventies, however — unknown to him — he later turned a star in South Africa the place his songs protesting the Vietnam War, racial inequality, abuse of ladies and social mores impressed white liberals horrified by the nation’s brutal racial segregation system of apartheid.
Swedish filmmaker Malik Bendjelloul’s documentary “Searching for Sugar Man” introduced Rodriguez to a a lot bigger viewers. The movie tells of two South Africans’ mission to hunt out the destiny of their musical hero. It received the Academy Award for greatest documentary in 2013.
Rodriguez was “more popular than Elvis” in South Africa, Stephen “Sugar” Segerman stated in 2013. The Cape Town report retailer proprietor’s nickname comes from the Rodriguez track “Sugarman.”
As his reputation in South Africa grew, Rodriguez lived in Detroit. But his followers in South Africa believed he additionally was well-known within the United States. They heard tales that the musician had died dramatically: He’d shot himself within the head onstage in Moscow; He’d set himself aflame and burned to demise earlier than an viewers someplace else; He’d died of a drug overdose, was in a psychological establishment, was incarcerated for murdering his girlfriend.
In 1996, Segerman and journalist Carl Bartholomew-Strydom got down to be taught the reality. Their efforts led them to Detroit, the place they discovered Rodriguez engaged on building websites.
“It’s rock-and-roll history now. Who would-a thought?” Rodriguez advised The Associated Press a decade in the past.
Rodriguez stated he simply “went back to work” after his music profession fizzled, elevating a household that features three daughters and launching a number of unsuccessful campaigns for public workplace. He made a residing via handbook labor in Detroit.
Still, he by no means stopped taking part in his music.
“I felt I was ready for the world, but the world wasn’t ready for me,” Rodriguez stated. “I feel we all have a mission — we have obligations. Those turns on the journey, different twists — life is not linear.”
Rodriguez later pursued royalties he didn’t obtain from his music getting used and performed in South Africa.
Some of Rodriguez songs had been banned by the apartheid regime and plenty of bootlegged copies had been made on tapes and later CDs.
DETROIT: Singer and songwriter Sixto Rodriguez, who turned the topic of the Oscar-winning documentary “Searching for Sugar Man,” has died. He was 81.
Rodriguez’ demise Tuesday in Detroit was introduced on the Sugarman.org web site and confirmed Wednesday by his granddaughter, Amanda Kennedy.
A 2013 Associated Press story referred to Rodriguez as “the greatest protest singer and songwriter that most people never heard of.”googletag.cmd.push(perform() googletag.show(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); );
His albums flopped within the United States within the Nineteen Seventies, however — unknown to him — he later turned a star in South Africa the place his songs protesting the Vietnam War, racial inequality, abuse of ladies and social mores impressed white liberals horrified by the nation’s brutal racial segregation system of apartheid.
Swedish filmmaker Malik Bendjelloul’s documentary “Searching for Sugar Man” introduced Rodriguez to a a lot bigger viewers. The movie tells of two South Africans’ mission to hunt out the destiny of their musical hero. It received the Academy Award for greatest documentary in 2013.
Rodriguez was “more popular than Elvis” in South Africa, Stephen “Sugar” Segerman stated in 2013. The Cape Town report retailer proprietor’s nickname comes from the Rodriguez track “Sugarman.”
As his reputation in South Africa grew, Rodriguez lived in Detroit. But his followers in South Africa believed he additionally was well-known within the United States. They heard tales that the musician had died dramatically: He’d shot himself within the head onstage in Moscow; He’d set himself aflame and burned to demise earlier than an viewers someplace else; He’d died of a drug overdose, was in a psychological establishment, was incarcerated for murdering his girlfriend.
In 1996, Segerman and journalist Carl Bartholomew-Strydom got down to be taught the reality. Their efforts led them to Detroit, the place they discovered Rodriguez engaged on building websites.
“It’s rock-and-roll history now. Who would-a thought?” Rodriguez advised The Associated Press a decade in the past.
Rodriguez stated he simply “went back to work” after his music profession fizzled, elevating a household that features three daughters and launching a number of unsuccessful campaigns for public workplace. He made a residing via handbook labor in Detroit.
Still, he by no means stopped taking part in his music.
“I felt I was ready for the world, but the world wasn’t ready for me,” Rodriguez stated. “I feel we all have a mission — we have obligations. Those turns on the journey, different twists — life is not linear.”
Rodriguez later pursued royalties he didn’t obtain from his music getting used and performed in South Africa.
Some of Rodriguez songs had been banned by the apartheid regime and plenty of bootlegged copies had been made on tapes and later CDs.
