Sixto Rodriguez 1970, 1971

 

Another unknown ssw from the early 1970s with similar music to Sally Eaton, the usual simplistic psych folky songs with suffocating political content plus the chamber and orchestral arrangements (done by a certain Mike Theodore).

Bio:

American singer/songwriter and guitarist, born July 10, 1942, Detroit, Michigan, USA - died August 8, 2023.

Rodriguez released the solo album "Cold Fact" on the Sussex label in 1970. The blues-funk style of his overtly sociopolitical lyrics gained him little popularity in the US, where he once performed onstage with Hispanic activists the Brown Berets. However, his music found a resonance with a fan-base in South Africa, where he became somewhat of a cult legend. He also toured Australia with Midnight Oil during the 1980s.

Rodriguez was also known as "Sixto Rodriguez" and was once a Motown session musician. Works include: "Cold Fact", "Coming From Reality", "After The Fact" & "Sugarman: The Best Of Rodriguez".

Sixto's brother Jesse (aka Jesus Rodriguez (6)) co-wrote songs for Rodríguez' catalogue and repertoire.

Sugar Man, from the first album:

From the 2nd album, the song called It Started Out so Nice grew on me a lot:

After that, he put out a live album in the early 1980s--how unusual is that for a folky?  Did not listen to that one.