'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Searching for Sugar Man is the story of singer-songwriter Sixto Diaz Rodriguez who recently passed away. The Academy Award-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man chronicles the uncanny success story of the elusive musician. Sixto Diaz Rodriguez, professionally known as just Rodriguez,, was a folk rock and psychedelic rock artist with major fame in South Africa and Australia, apart from his native United States.
The 81-year-old singer-songwriter Rodriguez, whose improbable career was the subject of the Oscar-winning film Searching for Sugar Man, passed away on August 8, 2023.
The cause of his death was not disclosed in the announcement on his official website. The official statement on the website reads:
"It is with great sadness that we at Sugarman.org announce that Sixto Diaz Rodriguez has passed away earlier today. We extend our most heartfelt condolences to his daughters – Sandra, Eva and Regan – and to all his family. Rodriguez was 81 years old. May His Dear Soul Rest In Peace."
The documentary, Searching for Sugar Man, directed by Swedish filmmaker Malik Bendjelloul, charts Rodriguez's life and the search for him. The musician lived far away from the success most rockstars thrive in. For most of his life, he was presumed dead till a group of very loyal fans tracked him down, which led to his resurgence in the music scene.
As an ode to the remembrance of one of the most legendary and elusive musicians in the world of Rock n Roll, here is a look at the famous documentary about his life.
Searching for Sugar Man - A Look at Rodriguez's Life through the Academy Award-winning documentary
The documentary on Rodriguez is considered one of the best music documentaries ever filmed. Fame was always destined for the musician; however, like a wandering spirit, he eluded fame and stuck to his love for art.
The documentary allegedly chronicles how the musician, born in Michigan, gave up music in the 1970s after finding it difficult to sell many copies of his first two albums in the US. He then took up physical labor and lived away from mainstream music. However, his music somehow touched people's hearts in other countries, including Botswana, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
His cult following in Australia inspired a 1979 tour of the region, while in South Africa, a compilation album achieved platinum status. Sixto Rodriguez was a trendy figure in these countries, although fans presumed that the musician had died due to suicide.
He didn't learn about his celebrity status in South Africa until 1997, when his daughter came across the material online. Rodriguez regained popularity and even began a tour across the nation.
The official synopsis of the documentary reads:
"In the early 1970s, Sixto Rodriguez was a Detroit folksinger who had a short-lived recording career with only two well received but non-selling albums. Unknown to Rodriguez, his musical story continued in South Africa where he became a pop music icon and inspiration for generations. Long rumored there to be dead by suicide, a few fans in the 1990s decided to seek out the truth of their hero's fate. What follows is a bizarrely heartening story in which they found far more in their quest than they ever hoped, while a Detroit construction laborer discovered that his lost artistic dreams came true after all."
More about Searching for Sugar Man
The feature-length documentary film won the Best Documentary category at the 85th Academy Awards. Such was Rodriguez that he declined to attend the award ceremony. He reportedly did not want to overshadow the filmmakers' achievements by being present onstage.
The documentary has also won other prestigious recognitions from the Writers Guild of America, Sundance Film Festival, and the British Academy Film Awards.
Sixto Rodriguez's life makes for one of the most intriguing stories ever. As he once said in a 2008 interview with the Detroit News:
"It’s been a great odyssey"
Searching for Sugar Man is a must-watch documentary for movie lovers and music fans. You can stream Searching for Sugar Man by renting or purchasing on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, or Vudu.
