'Sheriff of Mars' reveals Jewish music star hidden in France

\It was an era of steel strings, guitar heroes, and storytellers — high on heroin, rebellious. Outlaw country music, the hallmark of Nashville’s powerful and angry music scene of the 1970s, was the brew of greats such as Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Townes Van Zandt.

But there is another, little-known music hero of that era: Daniel Antopolsky. A Jewish lad from Augusta, Ga., grandson of immigrants who settled in the south and ran a hardware store on Main Street, the “Sheriff of Mars” fled the aggressive U.S. music scene for a tranquil life on a farm in Bordeaux, France. 

Over the last 40 years, he has written nearly 500 songs. Now, for the first time, Antopolsky’s music is being shared with the world through a new documentary and music album, the latter produced in conjunction with some of country music’s finest players and by award-winning producer Gary Gold.

“There was a lost piece of history in this amazing musician who decided to disappear,” says documentary co-director and producer Jason Ressler. “This mysterious Daniel — no one knew where he went, what happened to him.”

Ressler discovered Antopolsky by chance when he was introduced to him by a mutual friend in Tel Aviv, where Antopolsky’s daughter lives with her boyfriend, an Israel Defense Forces soldier. Traveling between Bordeaux, the U.S., and Israel — and different eras — Ressler ended up forging a friendship with the 66-year-old farmer. He says it was almost a year before he realized Antopolsky’s talent.

“He usually would go upstairs to this little room and shut the door to write and play his songs,” recalls Ressler. “I didn’t think about it; I just figured it was some guy who likes to play guitar. Then one night, we were alone in the house, and he played downstairs. And I couldn’t believe it. He’s country, but he’s optimistic. These are some of the best songs I have ever heard in my life.”

Slowly, Antopolsky’s story began to unfold.