Rodriguez: The rock icon who didn't know it

Bob Simon: I think you also said there's no shame in being poor.

Rodriguez: That's right. And poor doesn't mean dirty and poor doesn't mean stupid and poor does not mean mean.

Poverty and dignity. That was the end of his story. Except it wasn't. Another twist of fate was coming his way. First time Swedish filmmaker Malik Bendjelloul was travelling around the world looking for a story to film. When he got to Cape Town, he heard about Rodriguez.

Malik Bendjelloul: This might be one of the best stories I ever heard. It was like Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty, or something like that. I never heard a story in my life that was so close to one of those classic fairytales, and had such a wonderful soundtrack, too. You know, it was just-- I was just ah -- I just fell in love with this story.

There is love. And then there's money. Malik didn't have much of the latter. But that wasn't going to stop him.

Malik Bendjelloul: I used this one-- this-- the--iPhone 4. Which I bought this $1.00 app, this Super 8 app, and it looked almost the same. I mean, not exactly, but good enough. And a lot of stuff was filmed with this.

Bob Simon: You shot a film with that?

Malik Bendjelloul: Yeah.

He then edited the film himself, composed the sound track himself, drew the animation himself. And then, after four years, he gave up.

Malik Bendjelloul: I was 90% finished. I realized, I can't continue, because I need food. My clothes had, like, holes under the arms, and I couldn't afford to buy new ones. I needed work.

Bob Simon: While you were making a film about a poor man, you became poor?

Malik Bendjelloul: I became one myself. I did, yeah. I did, that's true.

Eventually, he found producers who submitted his unfinished film to the Sundance film festival in Utah. They not only accepted it, they decided to open the festival with it. Since hitting the theaters, it has become something of a phenomenon. And Rodriguez has been resurrected... once again. One of his first miraculous appearances: the David Letterman show.

And now: a sold-out tour across America. Here he is at the Highline Ballroom in New York City. It was as if he'd never left the stage.

[Rodriguez: I love when they scream. (Audience laughs) Is there anybody here from Detroit? (Applause) My deepest condolences! (Audience laughs)]

He didn't mean it, of course. And his real homecoming happened at the kind of Detroit joint which was in his genes.

[Rodriguez: Hey youngbloods!

Ryan: I want to say "hello" man.

Charlie: You're very inspiring.

Rodriguez: What's your name?

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[dtgarcia]

What happened to the comment I made just a minute ago?

[dtgarcia]

Mr. Rodriguez is by the looks of it a victim of the same type of discrimination, in the nation of his birth, that his music helped to expose in South Africa. The music this stoic poet has writen and recorded is now being enjoyed in my home. Thank you CBS for bringing light to this most amazing artist.

[JerryC70s]

Just returned from watching "Searching for Sugarman". Brought on the goosebumps for sure. I grew up and live in Cape Town. I own a copy of the Cold Fact CD. My second. The first one grew tired. Before that it was a casette tape for my trusty old VW Kombi bus, in which I often passed out(beach, pub etc) to this man's mesmerising tunes. Before that it was vinyl(back in '74). The above describes pretty much what the movie was describing. Rodrigues was an icon over here amongst a certain community/genre. Two concerts were scheduled for Cape Town this February. Both are sold out. An additional date was laid on to take up the slack. I've just tried to book on-line. Sold out. I guess that says it all. This time his family had better receive their dues.

[fly2redskins]

In 1976, several thousand copies of Cold Fact were found in a New York warehouse and sold out in Australia in a few weeks. It went to #23 on the Australian album charts, staying on the charts for 55 weeks.

and was 5x PLATINUM in AUSTRALIA. Rodriguez has since toured South Africa and AUSTRALIA with much success, but remains relatively unknown in his native country of USA.[3]

naturally - I live in AUSTRALIA and am a fan!!!!!

[Johanww]

Great that he finally got recognized and has some money. I think he should buy a Ferrari. Life is not about having a Ferrari OR giving back. It's about having a Ferrari AND giving back. Your commentator expresses lack and not abundance. I would venture to say that people that own Ferraris are one of the largest donation groups in our society. Also think of the 1000's of people who would not have jobs if people didn't buy Ferraris. Long live Capitalism!!

[philomena3122]

Rediscovering Rodriguez after 35 years transported me back to Australia 1976; flares, tank tops, platform shoes and Cold Fact playing over and over again on my bedroom stereo, where I thought the world was gritty and scary and, when I grew up, I would change it! When you played the songs, I knew every word. He and Jim Croce where my quiet, understated and understanding observers of life - my musical Andy Wahols. Thank you all those who rediscovered him and brought him back to those of us that loved him. Please give him the recognition he so deserves, and if there is a place I could contact him directly via email, I would love to tell him myself, should he care to know. Somehow, I think he would.

[PurepechainParadise]

Aloha from Kaua'i! Thanks for the piece on a true artist and brother from Detroit. Vito Valdez, the artist introduced me to him in 1995. He was humble back then and sounds the same now. He's the real deal all right. We chilled Detroit style on Vito's 3rd story loft where the Dally in the Alley takes place. I remember him telling us some guy from Europe had tracked him down and had told him of his fame. Detroit is very gritty and working class. I taught for Detroit Public Schools for 20 years. Apparently Heaven is opening up for a few brothers that have endured the test of time. I just create Rasta T shirts in paradise, now listening to Sixto's tunes while I design and paint. We hope to get him in Kaua'i. Rastawear promotes the Jawaiian bands here. Aloha all who promote and suggest compensation for Rodriguez. Love you all in South Africa and Austrailia for supporting a cool brother. Detroit's a little rough right now with the Police ordered Enter at your own risk alert, so a concert in Kaua'i sounds just fine. Aloha Rodriguez music lovers!

[bbminded]

This story is incomplete and does not address the obvious question:
What accounts for the fact that Rodriguez, a song writer and performer, did not receive royalties from his music that was sold in South Africa, Australia and elsewhere? The follow up question also needed to be asked, What record companies did profit from the sale of Rodriguez's records in South Africa, Australia and elsewhere?

Previous comments allege that CBS Records may have become the eventual owner of songs and music composed by Rodriguez. I would be interested in any comment CBS Records may have about the allegation.

And finally I would be interested to know why any record company executive, who had a successful performer on record would make no effort to market an American performer or his records in the United States after that performer became hugely popular in other parts of the world? Did the reporter make any effort to examine this part of the story.

Sure, Rodriguez, bombed initially in the US but that does not answer the question of his potential for success in America following his successes in other parts of the world.

The Rodriguez story is moving and compelling. It would have been a better story if it had addressed the questions raised above and had confronted the fact that this man and his family suffered needless privation while others profited handsomely from his creative efforts.

[jahamilton]

This was really a moving story. I was amazed at how happy the people in South Africa were to see him. The report could have spent a little more time on what he meant to the anti-apartheid movement. I don't think I have ever seen anyone so thrilled as the audiences there were to see him.

It is worth mentioning that Rodriguez has a very engaging style - a very intimate connection between his voice and his guitar, and by extension the audience. This is something performers dream of, and he does it seemingly without trying. Bob Dylan, by contrast, is, or at least in my experience is, the opposite.

[RangerDan107]

This is a one in a million story. How a performer can be a huge hit in a foreign country and virtually unknown in his own backyard is simply amazing. I grew up in Detroit, went to the Grande Ballroom regularly, followed Detroit acts like The Stooges, MC5, Motown. I had never heard of Mr. Rodriguez until six months ago when this whole thing broke. I'm glad to see him finally getting his due. Now he should be paid (with interest) for the profits he garnered for the record company.