Searching for Sugar Man

Biography

At least five artists share the name Rodriquez. 1) Sixto Diaz Rodriguez (also known as Rodriguez or as Jesus Rodriguez) is an American folk musician, born in Detroit, Michigan on July 10, 1942. He was named 'Sixto' (pronounced seex-toe) because he was the sixth child in his family. Rodriguez's parents were middle-class immigrants from Mexico, who left in the 1920s. In most of his songs he takes a political stance on the cruelties facing the inner city poor. In 1967 (under the name Rod Riguez)...

At least five artists share the name Rodriquez.

1) Sixto Diaz Rodriguez (also known as Rodriguez or as Jesus Rodriguez) is an American folk musician, born in Detroit, Michigan on July 10, 1942. He was named 'Sixto' (pronounced seex-toe) because he was the sixth child in his family. Rodriguez's parents were middle-class immigrants from Mexico, who left in the 1920s. In most of his songs he takes a political stance on the cruelties facing the inner city poor.

In 1967 (under the name Rod Riguez) he released the single "I'll Slip Away" through the small label Impact. He did not produce anything for another three years until he was signed to Sussex Records; an offshoot of the Buddah label. It was after the move to Sussex that he changed his professional name to just Rodriguez. Rodriguez recorded two albums with Sussex—Cold Fact in 1970, and Coming from Reality in 1971. But after mixed reviews and low album sales he was dropped from the label, which later folded in 1975.

After failing to make an impact in America, he gave up his career as a musician. However, although he was relatively unknown in his home country by the mid 70s, his albums were starting to gain airplay in countries like South Africa, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), New Zealand and Australia.

After imported copies of his Sussex albums ran dry, an Australian record label, Blue Goose Music, bought the Australian rights to his back catalogue in the mid 70s. The label released his two studio albums plus a compilation album At His Best (featuring unreleased recordings from 1976 "Can't Get Away", "I'll Slip Away" (a re-recording of his first single), and "Street Boy"). Unbeknownst to Rodriguez, it went platinum in South Africa, where he achieved cult status.

With a new buzz around Rodriguez, in 1979 he toured Australia with the Mark Gillespie Band as support. Two shows from the tour were later released on the Australian only album Alive—the title being a play on the rumors caused by his public obscurity that Rodriguez had died years ago. After the '79 tour he returned to Australia for a final tour in 1981 with Midnight Oil before quietly slipping back into normal life.

The 2012 Sundance Film Festival hosted the premiere of Searching for Sugar Man, from Swedish director Malik Bendjelloul, detailing the efforts by two fans to see if his rumored death was true - and if not, to discover what had become of him. The Simon Chinn and John Battsek produced documentary went on to win the World Cinema Special Jury Prize and the Audience Award, World Cinema Documentary. The film opens in NY and LA on July 27, 2012.

2) Rodriguez was a band which originated in San Luis Obispo, California. Formed in 1991 by bassist/vocalist Kyle Field (aka Little Wings) and guitarist/vocalist Matt Ward (aka M. Ward), drummer Mike Funk joined in 1993. Their only album to date, Swing Like A Metronome, released in 2000, was recorded by Grandaddy's Jason Lytle and featured songs written between 1992 and 1997. After Rodriguez disbanded, both songwriters went on to illustrious solo careers.

3) Rodriguez is a Garage Punk-Rock Band from Austria. More info at http://www.rodriguez.at

4) Rodriguez is a Swedish indie-electronica artist that released 2 EPs during the late 1990's and the early 2000's. He makes minimalistic instrumental tunes like Karate-dö, Kungen, Fred på jorden and Dominguez och Fernanduez.

5)Rodriguez is Pop - Techno Band from georgia.

Members
David Svanidze - ვლადიმირ (დავით) სვანიძე
Levan SvaniSvili - ლევან სვანიშვილი

info, tracks : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rodriguez/174566509308994?sk=wall Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.