Music tribute for ‘Sugarman’ Sixto Rodrigues a sweet treat for Bunbury audiences

Australian singer songwriter Howie Morgan is set to bring the music and story of Sixto Rodrigues, better known as Sugarman, to stages around the country and abroad. Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre will host the tribute to the US artist, who was rumoured to have died in the 1990s. It was known that Rodrigues wrote and recorded music with strong social justice themes in the US, but his record sales and fame were found in the late 1970s in Australia and South Africa. The phenomenon and story of Sugarman was later made into a film documentary about a search for the artist, who seemingly retreated from the spotlight before he died in August, 2023. Morgan said the show would be an opportunity to tell the story and a “trip down memory lane” and a showcase of the artist’s two albums. “I think it tells a story, and it’s an amazing story of an artist long forgotten in many parts of the world, except Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, and maybe just a trip down memory lane for those people that lived through that time, because it was any time from the early 70s to his rediscovery, which didn’t happen until the late 90s,” he said. “As far as the show’s concerned, it’s a full band with a string section, I narrate the story and we sing, because he only did two albums, so we sing nearly every song of those two albums.” Morgan said one of his first Australian gigs was at the Parade Hotel and he lived in Bunbury for two and half years. “I went to a few shows at the entertainment centre and I hoped that someday I’ll do a gig there, and here I am all these years later,” he said. “I wasn’t playing music in any sort of professional way. It was my grandad who got me into playing music, that got me started off. “I didn’t really pick up performing until a lot later in my early 20s.” Morgan said his brushes with artists he admires have been a career high while it took time to also make a name for himself in the industry. This included a last minute call to open for Mariah Carey while playing a Sunday session at the Kalamunda Hotel. “I literally went from playing at the Kalamunda Hotel at the beer garden to racing to the Sandalford in the Swan Valley and jumping on stage to open for Mariah Carey within two hours,” he said. “Working with artists like Kate Cebrano and Ian Moss, I grew up idolising them, so being able to work with them was a bit of a dream. “I was lucky enough to support Stevie Wonder a few years ago down at Sandalford in Margaret River, so having been acknowledged by people you admire is a highlight.” Morgan is preparing to take the tribute tour around Australia and potentially overseas alongside writing his own music. “I’m still working on some original music, and I’m going to be touring with the Rodriguez show nationally next year, so starting in Melbourne in March and up to Brisbane in June and Sydney,” he said. “Then we’re looking at taking it overseas, to South Africa and the UK later next year, developing that show into an international touring act.” Sugarman, The Rodrigues Story plays at BREC on October 5. For tickets and information, visit bunburyentertainment.com