Imagine if one of our music legends of the turbulent Sixties disappeared long before anyone realized what actually happened to him. It could be Bob Dylan or any other folk singer that captured the angst for a generation. Rumors spread that they immolated themselves on stage with fire or shot themselves in the middle of a performance. Or what if Elvis showed up on stage tomorrow? For South Africans, this happened. The story is explored in the documentary Searching for Sugar Man.
Rodriguez was the sound of the Apartheid generation for many South Africans. This is especially true for Stephen "Sugar Man" Segerman, who began idolizing Rodriguez while he was in the Army. Most of Rodriquez' music was distributed as bootleg copies, his origins obscured by poor marketing and distribution, leading a generation of fans to create their own narrative for the pop icon.
When Segerman sets out to find the truth about what happened to the iconic singer, he has no idea where the path will lead. He decides to begin his search within the lyrics so familiar to him. There are cues within the music like "I met a girl from Dearborn" that place the singer in the area around Detroit, Michigan. But what Segerman is about to find out will blow his mind. And will rock a new generation of South Africans.
Rodriquez is not dead. He had a failed campaign to be Mayor of Detroit, lives an extremely humble existence in Detroit and continues to work construction at his advanced age. The millions of dollars his music generated never quite made it back to Rodriquez. Director Malik Bendjelloul interviews people within the music industry, to include the producers of Rodriguez' two albums. Between the finger pointing, it is quite obvious that Rodriquez was shafted by the industry.
But the story doesn't end here. Like a resurrected Elvis playing the Superdome, Rodriquez travels to South Africa for a series of performances. The humble, understated artist is greeted by throngs of screaming fans, many too young to have even been alive when the music was first recorded. The scene is surreal. A quiet construction worker from Detroit playing with a starstruck South African band who were originally slated to open for the artist, a packed auditorium, cameras and the full celebrity buzz.
It would be a rags-to-riches story if not for the humility of Rodriguez, who apparently gives the money to charity and his children. He, meanwhile, continues to live a very meager existence in the same home we first find him in.
This film tells a moving story with a fairy tale ending. And it's true. The narrative is supplemented with Rodriquez' own songs, which are incredible. I had to wonder how this exceptional artist was so easily pushed aside during a time frame when his music was so relevant. The songs still possess qualities I enjoy. Enough that I went out purchased the CDs.
Searching For Sugarman was favored to win the Oscars. I was fortunate enough to see it at a local documentary film festival before the nomination. It deserved to win. I saw numerous documentaries in 2012 and this one was, by far, the best. It touches your heart. It is a simple, straight-forward feel-good documentary. Something we don't get very often. If you can find it streaming, watch it. You won't regret this heart-warming true story. 9/10. I may be biased as a native Detroiter...but this time, the Oscars agree with me.
