BACK in 1970 and 1971, the Detroit folk singer Rodriguez released two brilliant albums in America. But Cold Fact and Coming from Reality were met with resounding indifference and negligible sales.
Hearing the music now it almost defies belief that those albums could be so emphatically ignored. Both contain affecting political and social observations on urban life, performed with remarkable vocal and musical dexterity.
Rodriguez reluctantly accepted that he’d missed his shot at a successful career and returned to relative obscurity in Detroit where he completed a BA in philosophy at Wayne State University and dabbled in local politics. He made a living as a labourer on construction sites and occasionally as a social worker. He had three children. His life was unexceptional and he struggled to make ends meet.
via Rodriguez’s sweet surprise.
All this is so wonderful to read. Everyone involved with this story, are incredible people.
Beautiful story, that keeps unfolding. Thanks ‘Sugar’ for this blog.
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Congratulations Malik!!!!
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Fantastic film only surpassed by the music. How often does one listen to an album, likes most of the tracks and can’t single out a favourite? Not often, and that is a Cold Fact!
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