Many only found out about him thanks to a 2012 film and he himself would only learn of his success in distant South Africa long after he became a celebrity there.
One of the most legendary rockers in the Latin American world, Sixto Rodriguezportrayed in the excellent documentary looking for sugar man, 2012, died on Thursday 9, at the age of 81. The cause or other details of his death were not disclosed, but the family confirmed it on their social networks.
Sixto, born in Detroit, USA, was the son of Mexican immigrants and released only two albums: cold donein 1970, e Coming from reality, in 1971. They were unsuccessful in the United States, but ended up being adopted South Africa, where Sixto became a celebrity. The curious thing was that not even Sixto knew it at the time. Tired of trying to find a space in the music industry and not having one, he ended up leaving the stage and working low-level jobs across the United States.
When the Internet arrived in the 1990s, his work began to be rediscovered outside South Africa as well. He returned to singing and touring, but his name would only become truly famous when, in 2012, the Swedish documentary maker Malik Bendjelloul released the film looking for sugar man, about the musician’s enigmatic journey that had been the subject of rumors for years. They even went so far as to say that he had committed suicide on stage. The film would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 2013.
Sixto, so called because he was the sixth child in his family, sang folk rock typical of the early 70s. Sugar manthe term used in the title of the doc, is one of his classics, released in Done cold. Singing about the oppression faced by the working poor in the United States, he gained an instant connection with anti-regime South Africans. Racial discrimination.
Source: Terra
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
