Sixto Rodríguez, the forgotten singer-songwriter who became a superstar without knowing it, dies
Euskaraz irakurri: Sixto Rodriguez kantautorea zendu da, berak jakin barik distira egin zuen izarra
American singer-songwriter of Mexican origin sixto rodriguezwhose life was portrayed in the Oscar-winning documentary “Searching For Sugar Man” (2012), has passed away this Tuesday at the age of 81, as reported by his official website.
Sixto Rodríguez’s story was, indeed, something out of a movie: his musical career passed unnoticed in the United States, but he unknowingly became a superstar in South Africa that was fighting against “apartheid”, while he lived in poverty and retired from a failed musical career (or so he thought).
Rodríguez, born in Detroit and of Mexican parents, published two rock albums, “Cold Fact” (1970) and “Coming From Reality” (1971), but he abandoned his artistic career very soon, as he failed to sell many records.
But unknown to him, his songs about the problems of poverty and the underprivileged became part of the message of the fight against racial segregation in South Africa. There, Sixto Rodríguez was a musical celebrity on a par with Elvis Presley or Bob Dylan.
This curious story caught the attention of the Swedish Malik Bendjelloul, who directed “Searching for Sugar Man”, which in addition to winning the Oscar for best documentary, won the audience prize and the jury prize at the Sundance festival.
Following the popularity of the documentary, Australia’s Blue Goose Music label bought his song catalog and released both albums, and a new best-of-both compilation titled “At His Best,” reviving the artist’s career 40 years later.
Source: Eitb
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