Once upon a time in a faraway land a man by the name of Rodriquez captured the hearts of the people with his songs. His music spoke to them in a way like never before and they embraced him like one of their own. They would be singing his songs for years to come.
That all sounds great until you learn the heartbreaking tale of Detroit’s own Rodriquez being completely unaware of his rock star status in South Africa, where his records were a staple of every household. Unable to make it as a musician in the U.S., he disappeared into oblivion and supported himself as a manual laborer.
But then through an unexpected twist of fate, the story has come full circle. Mostly due to the interest and perseverance of young Swedish filmmaker Malik Bendjelloul who took it upon himself to track down this unsung hero. He was armed, not with a magic wand, but instead an iPhone which he used to shoot the documentary Searching for Sugar Man….and people took notice. 60 Minutes did a piece on the story (that you can see here), Rodriquez is out touring again to sell out crowds and the film has become a festival and awards darling. It’s now out on dvd and it’s an amazing story in every possible way. It may have taken decades to unfold but it’s like overnight, Rodriquez went from faded 60’s pop star to newly famous pop star in his 60’s. The perfect ending has yet to be written but with any luck, in true Hollywood fashion, they will all live happily ever Oscar! Take a look at the trailer: