The Pop Corporation

Detroit psychedelic legend, Sixto Rodriguez has sadly passed away. The news was confirmed across social media – he was 81 years old. In a very simple message, a note read: It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our Legend, Rodriguez.

Most people will know the songwriter from his song ‘Sugar Man’ and the documentary ‘Searching For Sugar Man’ which gave Sixto a second stab at the spotlight.

Sixto Rodriguez, born to Mexican parents in Michigan, released ‘Cold Fact’ in 1970 and for years, was only in the knowledge of serious record collectors, break hunters and those looking deeper for long lost psychedelic cuts. The LP changed for big sums, which saw a spate of bootlegs, only furthering the popularity and mystery of the musician.

Rodriguez cut something of an enigmatic, cult figure and strangely, found some popularity in South Africa, championed by the underground during the Apartheid years.

As well as the magical title track, Rodriguez cut heavier songs with his plaintive, acid-folk numbers. It also featured the legendary Dennis Coffey, Bob Babbitt (of the Funk Brothers and Motown fame)

 As well as popularity in South Africa, thousands of the LP were found in a warehouse in New York and the LP sold out in Australia in 1978, years after release. In his native US, he remained a largely unknown figure.

By the time 2008 came around, Light in the Attic reissued the LP, and momentum started to build for the hugely impressive album, and from that sprang the Oscar winning documentary that sealed Sixto’s place in rock history, leading to appearances on late night shows.

‘Coming From Reality’ also garnered cult status (although not to the extent of ‘Cold Fact’), and featured a host of wonderful psychedelic folk tracks that infused soul and funk.

Rodriguez’s lack of success saw him quit his music career, ending up in manual work and turned his eye to political work, trying to improve the lives of the working classes in Detroit.

There is an unreleased music in the vaults for sure, which we’re bound to hear at some point in the near future, but for now, we’ll have his long players and ‘Searching For Sugar Man’ by Malik Bendjelloul which revived Sixto’s career in music, which it so richly deserved. Sixto Rodriguez is survived his three children, Eva, Sandra, and Regan.