In these days of auto-tuning and lip synching, I miss hearing the pureness in a singer’s voice. I can understand as audiences expect bigger and bigger stage shows, very few artists can keep up with the demands of singing and dancing on stage for up to 2 hours. Lip synching has become a given at many of today’s concerts. I miss the days where you would have a Tina Turner or Bette Midler on stage, drenched in sweat, after having just sung live for almost 3 hours. Hearing the songs in this documentary reminded me of those good old days. Singer-songwriter Rodriguez released a couple of records back in the 1970’s. Their sales went nowhere and Rodriguez faded away. In a time before MP3 players or digital downloads, bootleg recordings of his music eventually made their way down to South Africa. His songs ignited the hearts of the South African people, making Rodriguez more popular than Elvis. As years passed, rumors began to spread about the singer’s death. This outstanding movie was about two South African men, who began a journey to find out the truth about this gifted artist and his life. With a voice that sounded like James Taylor to me, I was immediately drawn into the mystery of this man’s life. There were stories spread of Rodriguez being on stage as he doused himself with gasoline and setting himself ablaze.  Or, after singing a song he pulled out a gun and shot himself; the tales got bigger and bigger. I loved hearing his daughters talk about their youth, growing up with such a humble man for a father. This documentary worked well on many levels; from a historical perspective, to steady pacing, to what I felt was the greatest part of the story–a pure artist who sang for the love of it.

3 1/2 stars