05/28/2026
In the history of popular music, there aren’t many artists with a more interesting story than Rodriguez, so we are adding him to our on-going list of 150 Most Interesting People Who Have Graced Our Stage. Born Sixto Rodriguez in 1942, he began his career as a singer-songwriter in his native Detroit to little fanfare or success. He lived a quiet, ordinary life in Detroit while, unbeknownst to him, his music became extremely successful in South Africa over the course of two decades, even outselling Elvis Presley in record sales. In South Africa, many believed that Rodriguez was dead until the early 1990s, when two South African radio DJs tracked him down, creating a newfound resurgence in his career. His journey from unknown singer to world-renowned music superstar was captured in the Academy Award-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man. Rodriguez rode the wave of his late-in-life success, playing festivals like Coachella and venues all over the world until his death in 2023.
During his late-life resurgence, Rodriguez came to the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on September 25, 2017. Rodriguez performed hits such as “I Wonder” to a packed crowd that was glad to have found Sugarman once again.
