Rodriguez

Plus special guest Arum Rae

Legendary singer-songwriter, Rodriguez, makes his City National Grove of Anaheim debut on May 17. Well-known in the U.S. for his 2012 Oscar award- winning documentary, Searching for Sugar Man, Rodríguez’s fame and music have now reached audiences worldwide.

Rodriguez, a self-taught guitarist, began performing in bars and clubs around the city of Detroit in the 1960s, as the city suffered post-industrial urban decay. It was there that he recorded two studio albums, Cold Fact in 1969 and Coming from Reality in 1971. These compositions 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 and he toured the area finding limited success as an overseas performer.

Rodriguez was unaware that he had reached legendary folk-rock super stardom status in South Africa, where mistaken rumors circulated that he had perished. As it turns out, South African anti-Apartheid activists and musicians alike were inspired by his counterculture lyrics.

In the late 1990s, South African fans finally sought him out, leading to the unanticipated renaissance of his music career. Rodriguez now tours extensively in South Africa, Australia, Europe, and the U.S., where he takes thoughtful appreciation in greeting longtime fans, and a new generation of listeners who find common ground in his music. His albums, Cold Fact and Coming from Reality have since been re-released on Light in the Attic records and the Searching for Sugar Man soundtrack is available on Sony Legacy. International media attention and accolades have since been bestowed upon both the film and the music.