Sixto Rodriguez, who lived in obscurity as his music career flamed out early in the U.S. only to find success in South Africa and a stardom he was unaware of, died Tuesday in Detroit. He was 81. Rodriguez’s legacy would take off back home after the singer and songwriter became the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary “Searching for Sugar Man.” [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] His death was announced on the Sugarman.org website and confirmed Wednesday by his granddaughter, Amanda Kennedy. He died following a short illness, according to his wife, Konny Rodriguez, 72. A 2013 Associated Press story referred to Rodriguez as “the greatest protest singer and songwriter that most people never heard of.” His albums flopped in the United States in the 1970s, but — unknown to him — he later became a star in South Africa where his songs protesting the Vietnam War, racial inequality, abuse of women and social mores inspired white liberals horrified by the country’s brutal racial segregation system of apartheid. Swedish filmmaker Malik Bendjelloul’s documentary “Searching for Sugar Man” presented Rodriguez to a much larger audience.

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  • Sixto Rodriguez: Searching for Sugar Man singer dies aged 81
    Sixto Rodriguez, the musician and subject of the documentary Searching for Sugar Man ... "It is with great sadness that we at Sugarman.org announce that Sixto Diaz Rodriguez has passed away ...
    08/8/2023 - 1:00 pm | View Link
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