Sixto Rodriguez

Sixto Rodriguez

Sixto Rodriguez, also known as Rodriguez and sometimes as Jesus Rodriguez, is a songwriter and folk singer. He is born in Detroit, Michigan, and his parents are middle-class immigrants from Mexico who arrive in the 1920s. He is named Sixto because he is the sixth child in his family. His songs often take a political view of the cruelties faced by poor people in inner-city life.

Early recordings and Sussex albums

He first records in 1967 under the name Rod Riguez, when he releases the single “I’ll Slip Away” on the small Impact label. He then does not release further material for three years, before signing to Sussex Records, an offshoot of Buddah. After this move he changes his professional name to Rodriguez. He records two albums for Sussex: Cold Fact in 1970 and Coming from Reality in 1971. After mixed reviews and weak sales, he is dropped by the label, which later folds in 1975. He then gives up his music career.

International following and live releases

Although he remains little known in the United States, his albums begin to receive airplay in countries including South Africa, Rhodesia, New Zealand and Australia. When imported copies of the Sussex albums run out, Blue Goose Music buys the Australian rights to his catalogue and issues the two studio albums plus the compilation At His Best, which includes unreleased recordings such as “Can’t Get Away,” a re-recording of “I’ll Slip Away,” and “Street Boy.” Without his knowledge, the compilation goes platinum in South Africa, where he develops cult status.

He tours Australia in 1979 with the Mark Gillespie Band as support, and two performances from that tour are later issued on the Australian-only album Alive, a title that refers to rumours that he had died. He returns to Australia for a final tour in 1981 with Midnight Oil before withdrawing from public life.

Documentary attention

A documentary about the search for him, Searching for Sugar Man, premieres at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. The film is directed by Malik Bendjelloul and produced by Simon Chinn and John Battsek. It receives the World Cinema Special Jury Prize and the Audience Award in the World Cinema Documentary section.

Other artists using the name Rodriguez

Other acts have also used the name Rodriguez, including a San Luis Obispo band formed in 1991 by Kyle Field, Matt Ward and later Mike Funk; a garage punk-rock band from Austria; a Swedish indie-electronica artist active in the late 1990s and early 2000s; and a pop-techno band from Georgia.