So it only took about 45 years......

[ralpht]

In 1968, Mike Theodore and Dennis Coffey brought a young talent into Tera Shirma named Sixto Rodriguez. The resulting album, "Cold Fact" bombed, as we say in the business. Did zippo, bupkus, etc etc.
But a story would soon emerge from these ruins. South Africa which was experiencing a revolution in race relations, mirroring the United States' quest for racial equality. Rodriguez wrote songs that addressed the plight of of those in the world living constrained by the chains of inequity. "Cold fact" had these songs and South Africa embraced the ideas within like it was written for them. It took off and so did the notoriety of Sixto Rodriguez. And then he disappeared. Rumors of suicide abounded.
And this is where it all changes. The story is told in a documentary titled "Searching For Sugar Man". Theodore and Coffey are interviewed in the film and Tera Shirma even gets a mention. To date, the film has garnered first place at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival and is set for world release this month. It is gearing up to a possible best documentary in the coming Academy Award show.
Stay tuned. This will prove to be a very interesting story. More to come.

[destruction]

Great News Ralph,

This popped on my Flea Market Funk RSS feed last week:

http://fleamarketfunk.com/2012/07/25/searching-for-sugarman/

[bankhousedave]

That sounds like a film that has found its time, Ralph.

[ralpht]

This is going to become a big story, Des...

[ralpht]

Right you are, Dave. This is going to be a big story, guys. Fred Saxon will be posting more information soon.

[Fred Saxon]

I saw "Searching for Sugar Man" at a press screening this week. The film is fantastic and a solid contender for an Oscar. It opens here in San Diego on August 17 and around the country over the next few weeks. If you see it I'm confident you'll LOVE it. Plus you'll see Mike Theodore and Dennis Coffey telling their part of the story with some nice lighting. It's an outstanding film with an outstanding soundtrack.

[juicefree20]

Ralph,

This sounds interesting. I like nothing more than to discover some lost-lost music which never made it out of a studio basement. Kinda like "You & Me" which was discovered via the movie "Blue Valentine".

I'm really looking forward to this one. Thanks for alerting us to it.

[ralpht]

This is an interesting one, Juice.

[juicefree20]

Ralph,

Despite all of the history you guys have already told about Detroit Soul music, it seems to me that there are a lot of stories left to tell.

For example, I'd love to hear what memories you or Dennis Coffey have about Jack Montgomery of "Dearly Beloved" fame. I've yet to hear much about him, much less ever seen a picture of him.

The untold musical stories from Detroit are simply staggering & it amazes me to consider just how much talent existed in such a relatively small parcel of land.

I wish all involved with this project nothing but success. I have to say that I don't ever remember hearing anything about him. But this sounds like a story of intrigue which spans continents. This should be interesting, indeed!

[juicefree20]

Ralph, this gets more interesting.

Here in Brooklyn is a man who's been performing for years while flying under the radar. He's played at a lot of small clubs & outdoor festivals in the neighborhood & has done so for years. Lo & behold, through the wonder of youtube, I discovered that this gentleman has been all over youtube these days, having a pretty loyal following overseas.

Here in Brooklyn, we know him as "Black Velvet", who does one hell of a James Brown. Overseas & elsewhere, he's known as Charles Bradley who is backed by The Menahan Street Band.

A little digging on Sixto led me to discover that last December, Sixto opened for Charles Bradley here in N.Y. Here's a shot of Black Velvet...I mean Charles Bradley that I posted here back in Dec. 2006 at the memorial for James Brown at The Apollo...
5342

And so, the world gets smaller every day & 2 guys have found success years after one would've expected them to have done so.