SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN Sixto Rodriguez SIGNED ONE-OF-A-KIND ITEM

$

1,500

This really belongs in a Searching For Sugarman museum.

These are the OLDEST DOCUMENTS IN EXISTENCE THAT PERTAIN TO THE CAREER OF MUSIC ARTIST SIXTO RODRIGUEZ.

 This is the original, complete copyright and publishing paperwork to Sixto Rodriguez’s very first release, the single for “I’ll Slip Away” b/w “You’d Like to Admit It” on Impact Records, a local Detroit label, licensed from Gomba Music which predates his debut album, Cold Fact by THREE YEARS.

Credited under the name Rod Riguez (as discussed in the documentary), these are the official, original copyright documents, NOT COPIES, with official raised government seals as well as Rodriguez’s HAND-SIGNED SIGNATURES. Copies of the lyric/music sheets, likely in Rodriguez’s own hand, are both included, as well as the Publisher’s Clearance Forms, complete with BMI logo. Both PCF’s are the originals, HAND SIGNED by Rodriguez. They are dated April 1967, three years prior to the release of his debut album, Cold Fact. The copyright forms are dated May 1967, probably took around a month to get the official forms returned approved in the mail from the US copyright office in Washington, DC. 

IMPACT 1031, as seen on the forms, can be seen on the label of the released single, shown in pic, (record not included, only shown for research purposes). The original oak tag folders which are present as well, show a shroud of touran-like imprint that suggests the single was at one time present with the files. Probably removed to be sold, and thinking the paperwork was without value. (!) The paperwork was found in a file box along with several other unknown artists of the period, by a music retailer from Detroit. This was the absolute first release of any kind by the artist known as Sixto Rodriguez. A ONE-OF-A-KIND,TRUE COLLECTOR’S ITEM. Without a doubt, easily the most fascinating music collectible to ever come into my posession.

 In April 1967, Rodriguez recorded five original songs for the local Impact label. The A-side of the resulting single, 'I'll Slip Away' (later re-cut in the mid-70s), was an atmospheric number with considerable commercial potential, the B-side, 'You'd Like To Admit It', a contrasting folk-rocker in which the singer berated an ex-girlfriend for going off with another man. Unfortunately, it became Impact's penultimate release before the label went under. Of the remaining tracks, 'Forget It' would later be re-recorded for his first LP and 'To Whom It May Concern' for the second, but the intriguingly titled 'That Discotheque' remains unreleased in any form. 

Undaunted, two years later Rodriguez found himself signed to the newly founded Hollywood label, Sussex, and the classic 'Cold Fact' LP emerged as their first release. Recorded in 1969 and skillfully produced by two other Impact refugees, Mike Theodore and Dennis Coffey, it was released in 1970, and the rest is history.