Rodriguez

Who

Rodriguez

When

  • August 11, 2017 - Showtime: 8:00pm

Rodriguez, the legendary singer-songwriter known only by his surname, is a self
taught guitarist. He began performing in bars and clubs around the city of Detroit
in the 1960s, as the city suffered postindustrial urban decay. It was there that
 he recorded two studio albums, Cold Fact in 1969 and Coming from Reality in 1971
released on Sussex records. These recordings went unnoticed in the U.S. and
Rodriguez eventually turned his efforts elsewhere, earning a bachelor's degree in
philosophy from Wayne State University, running for political office and working
 construction and factory jobs to support his family.
In the mid-1970s, his music gained airplay in Australia and New Zealand. He has
since toured there several times, to play festivals, arenas & theaters. He released
"Rodriguez Rocks - Live In Australia " in 2016 on Light in the Attic Records and
 completed a multi-city tour of Australia in December of 2016.
In the late 1990s, South African fans finally sought him out, leading to the unanticipated
renaissance of his music career. Their story is told in the 2012 Oscar award-winning
documentary, Searching for Sugar Man, directed by Malik Bendjelloul , which has
given Rodriguez a new measure of fame in the U.S. with
his music and story now reaching audiences worldwide. The film has been aired multiple
times on PBS and public TV worldwide and is available on DVD and streaming TV.

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