John Edmond

Last updated

John Edmond
Born (1936-11-18) 18 November 1936 (age 87)
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
Years active1956 – present
SpouseTeresa Edmond
Children4
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • bagpipes
LabelsRoan Antelope Music
Military career
Allegiance Flag of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (1953-1963).svg Rhodesia and Nyasaland [1]
Flag of Rhodesia (1968-1979).svg  Rhodesia
Service/branch Rhodesian Army Flag.svg Rhodesian Army
Years of service Flag of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (1953-1963).svg (1960–1963)
Rhodesian Army Flag.svg (1971-1979)
Rank Trooper
Unit 3rd (Northern Rhodesia) Battalion, Rhodesia Regiment
Battles/wars Congo Border War
Rhodesian Bush War
Website johnedmond.co.za

John Edmond (born 18 November 1936) is a Rhodesian folk singer and retired soldier who became popular in the 1970s for his Rhodesian patriotic songs. He reached the height of his fame during the Rhodesian Bush War where he was sometimes known as the "Bush Cat".

Contents

Background

Edmond was born on 18 November 1936 in Luanshya, Northern Rhodesia (modern day Zambia) to a family of Scottish descent; during his childhood, he and his parents moved between Scotland and Central Africa. He went to school in Luanshya, Northern Rhodesia; Edinburgh, Scotland; and in South Africa at Christian Brothers College in Pretoria. He displayed a natural talent for music at an early age when he was given a mouth organ as a birthday gift from his grandmother at age three. John mastered the instrument within half an hour. As a Boy Scout, he played the bugle and was in the local Scout bugle band. While at school in Edinburgh, he was chosen to sing in the famous St John's boys choir. He was regularly featured in lead roles at Christian Brothers College in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. Edmond was lead drummer in the college's pipe band. He went on to win the South African Junior drumming championships at the Royal Scottish gathering at Wembley in 1953. After college, Edmond was employed at the Roan Antelope copper mine.

After some time there, Edmond joined Southern Rhodesia's Royal Rhodesia Regiment at Bulawayo. He served with the 3rd Battalion on the Congo border, in Nyasaland and Southern Rhodesia. [2] During this time, he bought a guitar at a trading store and met Bill Coleman while in the army. After learning to play the guitar with Coleman, Edmond formed the Bushcats Skiffle Group in 1958 along with two friends from the army, Eugene van der Watt and Ian Kerr. The group was a success among its peers and progressed into cabaret and rock 'n' roll. [3] After his military service was up, Edmond went to England to study computers and moved to South Africa during the mid-1960s. He became famous in Rhodesia during the Bush War with his album Troopiesongs. [4] He was also a composer, writing such hits as "The UDI Song". After the war, and Zimbabwean independence, he continued to record albums such as Zimsongs and Zimtrax.

In 1982, Edmond's label RAM published The story of Troopiesongs and the Rhodesian Bush War, a collection of lyrics for Troopiesongs, in Johannesburg. [2]

Since 1987, Edmond and his wife Theresa have owned and maintained a resort in South Africa named "Kunkuru". The resort is located in the Bela Bela area. [5] Edmond also has his own record label, Roan Antelope Music (RAM).

Discography

AlbumYearLabelNotes
Troopiesongs – Phase 11976Map
Boom Sha-la-la-lo1971Storm
Troopiesongs – Phase 21977Map
Johno!1972Storm
Goodbye Is The Saddest Song1975Satbel
The Greatest Hits of John Edmond1975Sounds Superb/EMINote on back of cover by John Edmond written in English and Afrikaans dated May 1975
Wild And Beautiful And Free1976Satbel
The Best of John Edmond1976Satbel
Troopiesongs – Phase 31978Jo'burg
Rhodesia The Brave1979Trutone
Hit Songs of John Edmond1975MFPThis may also be known as the "Greatest Hits of John Edmond" (1975) as the inside record label on the Greatest Hits states that it is the "Hit Songs of John Edmond". The songs on the Hit Songs label match the jacket of the Greatest Hits (Sounds Superb/EMI).
Troopiesongs – Phase 41979Gallo
Immortal Hits1980Gallo
Country Tracks1981Gallo
From The Heart1982Gallo
Troopies in Exile1982Gallo
Love in the Country1984Gallo
All Night Razzle1984PrincipalBUSHCATS re-formed for this recording
The British South Africa Police Centenary Album1989RAM
The Rhodesia Centenary Album 1890 – 19901990RAM
Rhodesians of the World1992RAM
All Time Rhodesian Evergreens1999RAMReissued 2011.
Troopiesongs Complete1999RAM50th Anniversary edition reissued 2011.
Heritage – Where We Come From2007RAM
Party – All Night Razzle2007RAM
Aviation SongsRAM
Born in AfricaRAM
By Request2004Gallo
Friends, Rhodies, Countrymen2005RAM
Wild and Beautiful and Free1990RAM
Heritage2007RAM
Zimsongs2011RAM
Songs of the African Bush2013RAM
ZimtraxRAM
Tales of the Game Rangers, Vol. 1 to Vol. 4See notesRAMVolume 1 (1984), Volume 2 (1987), Volume 3 (1989), Volume 4 (1993)
Stories en Liedjies van die Wildtuin, Vol. 1 & 2RAM
The Boer War in Song2012RAMAfrikaans version Die Boere Oorlog In Lied released 2014 by RAM.
Campfire 'n Jamboree2013RAMWith The Campfire Singers
Songs of the African Battlefields2014RAM
Of Aeroplanes & African Plains2014RAM
Boer and Brit Battlefield Heroes2016RAM
Battlesongs of Brave Boer and Briton2017RAM
From the Pen of John Edmond2017RAM
Legends2018RAM
Tales of Bird Watches, Vol.12018RAM
Songs of Kruger Park2019RAM
Tales of Bird Watchers, Vol.22019RAM
Christmas in Africa2020RAM
Ian Douglas Smith: The Man2021RAMA series of interviews with Ian Smith, retelling the stories of his life, with occasional songs and commentary from Edmond
Singin' with the Birds2021RAM
Ballads of the Bushveld2022
SinglesYearLabelNotes
Farewell Britannia1969Storm
Die Eerste Kersfeesnag1969Storm
Fairytales1969StormThis was his first hit record
Round and Round1970StormHit single
Boom Sha-la-la-lo1971StormHit single written for John by Bruce Woodley of The Seekers while they were in South Africa[ citation needed ]
Pasadena1972MapHit single
Every Day, Every Night1972MapHit single
Toy Train 1973MapHit single
Hello Susan1974Map
Jock of the Bushveld1975Map
Goodbye Is The Saddest Song1975MapHit single
Nomad of the Kalahari1976Map
One Day He'll Call Me Daddy1976Map
It's Good To See You1977Jo'burg
Blue Brown Eyed Lady1977Jo'burg
Louie1978RSA
Bye Bye Butterfly1979EMI
Forever Young1980Gallo
The Electric Thing1981Gallo
The 124th Cavalry Regiment Lives On2017RAMProduced in cooperation with 124th Cavalry Regiment Association.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Rhodesia</span> 1911–1964 British protectorate in Southern Africa

Northern Rhodesia was a British protectorate in Southern Africa, now the independent country of Zambia. It was formed in 1911 by amalgamating the two earlier protectorates of Barotziland-North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia. It was initially administered, as were the two earlier protectorates, by the British South Africa Company (BSAC), a chartered company, on behalf of the British Government. From 1924, it was administered by the British Government as a protectorate, under similar conditions to other British-administered protectorates, and the special provisions required when it was administered by BSAC were terminated.

The British diaspora in Africa is a population group broadly defined as English-speaking people of mainly British descent who live in or were born in Sub-Saharan Africa. The majority live in South Africa and other Southern African countries in which English is a primary language, including Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya, Botswana and Zambia. Their first language is usually English.

Roan may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhodesian Bush War</span> 1964–1979 conflict in Southern Africa

The Rhodesian Bush War, also called the Second Chimurenga as well as the Zimbabwean War of Liberation, was a civil conflict from July 1964 to December 1979 in the unrecognised country of Rhodesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luanshya</span> Place in Copperbelt Province, Zambia

Luanshya is a town in Zambia, in the Copperbelt Province near Ndola. It has a population of 117,579. The town is situated in an area which was under Chief Mushili of the Lamba people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Copperbelt</span> Mining region in Central Africa

The Copperbelt is a natural region in Central Africa which sits on the border region between northern Zambia and the southern Democratic Republic of Congo. It is known for copper mining.

A major strike broke out among African mineworkers in the Copperbelt Province of Northern Rhodesia on 29 May 1935 in protest against taxes levied by the British colonial administration. The strike involved three of the province's four major copper mines: those in Mufulira, Nkana and Roan Antelope. Near the latter, six protesters were killed by police and the strike ended. Although it failed, the strike was the first organized industrial agitation in Northern Rhodesia and is viewed by some as the first overt action against colonial rule. It caught the attention of a number of African townsmen, leading to the creation of trade unions and African nationalist politics, and is seen as the birth of African nationalism.

St. Stephen's College, Balla Balla, Southern Rhodesia was a private Christian high school for boys from 1956 to 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhodesian Security Forces</span> Security forces of the state of Rhodesia (1964–80)

The Rhodesian Security Forces were the military forces of the Rhodesian government. The Rhodesian Security Forces consisted of a ground force, the Rhodesian Air Force, the British South Africa Police, and various personnel affiliated to the Rhodesian Ministry of Internal Affairs. Despite the impact of economic and diplomatic sanctions, Rhodesia was able to develop and maintain a potent and professional military capability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Rhodesia Flight 825</span> Passenger aircraft which was shot down in 1978

Air Rhodesia Flight 825 was a scheduled passenger flight that was shot down by the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) on 3 September 1978, during the Rhodesian Bush War. The aircraft involved, a Vickers Viscount named the Hunyani, was flying the last leg of Air Rhodesia's regular scheduled service from Victoria Falls to the capital Salisbury, via the resort town of Kariba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clem Tholet</span> Musical artist

Clem Tholet was a Rhodesian folk singer who became popular in the 1970s for his Rhodesian patriotic songs. He reached the height of his fame during the Rhodesian Bush War.

Rugby union in Zambia is a minor but growing sport. The Zambia national rugby union team is currently ranked 67th by World Rugby. The Zambia Rugby Football Union has 9880 registered players and three formally organised clubs.

Roan United is a Zambian football club based in Luanshya, in the Zambian Premier League and mostly successful during the early years of Zambian football. Indeed, they were the inaugural winners of the ZPL, clinching what was then called the Northern Rhodesia National Football League in 1962. They play their home matches at Kafubu Stadium.

Sir Cecil Dennistoun Burney, 3rd Baronet was a British businessman and politician in Zambia (1959-1970), having emigrated in 1951 but returning to Britain in 1970.

The Rhodesian Selection Trust (RST) was a mining Corporation which produced copper from the Copperbelt region of Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kapelwa Sikota</span> Zambian nurse (1928–2006)

Kapelwa Sikota (1928–2006) was the first Zambian registered nurse, in the 1950s when her country was still the British protectorate of Northern Rhodesia. She trained and qualified in South Africa where nursing education was available before it was developed in Zambia. Her qualifications were not fully recognised at home until independence in 1964 when she was appointed to senior nursing posts. By 1970 she was Chief Nursing Officer in the Ministry of Health. In 2011 she was honoured posthumously by the Zambian Association of University Women.

"The U.D.I. Song" is a Rhodesian folk song written in 1966 by Northern Rhodesian-born John Edmond and first performed by South African Nick Taylor. It was later re-released performed by Edmond himself. The song was written as a commemoration of Southern Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence as Rhodesia from the British Empire. The song upon release initially spent four weeks at number 1 on the Rhodesian music charts. It was then re-released in 1976 by Edmond, where it got to number 6.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cashel South African Air Force Alouette crash</span>

On 23 December 1975, an Aérospatiale Alouette III helicopter of the South African Air Force carrying a two-man crew and four Rhodesian Army officers crashed near Cashel in Rhodesia after it collided with a hawser cable mid-flight. The accident dealt a severe blow to the Rhodesian Security Forces, then fighting bitterly against ZANLA and ZIPRA insurgents in the Rhodesian Bush War, for the officers involved were some of its best and would prove difficult to replace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roan Antelope copper mine</span>

Roan Antelope is a copper mine in Zambia. The deposits were discovered in 1902, but their full extent was not understood until 1926. The mine site was developed between 1927 and 1931, at first experiencing many deaths from malaria due to poor drainage. Production since then has experienced various slumps and booms. The mine was nationalized in 1970 and returned to private ownership in 1997. The new owners struggled to make it profitable, and it changed hands twice.

John "Ginger" Pensulo was a Zambian footballer and coach. A key player for Roan United, he led the club to the Zambian league title in its inaugural season in 1962 and was one of the men behind the team's fluid style of play, being involved in various coaching roles.

References

  1. "EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Rhodesian singer/songwriter John Edmond". www.thecornellreview.org. 6 October 2020.
  2. 1 2 Edmond, John (1982). The story of Troopiesongs and the Rhodesian Bush War. Johannesburg: Roan Antelope Music. p. 50. OCLC   18508621.
  3. "John's Biography | John Edmond – legend campfires zambia zululand Walvis Bay Vilanculos Singer songwriter entertainer storyteller author bush pilot musical career 60's 70's pop country TV 7 smash South Africa hits". johnedmond.co.za.
  4. "Welcome to | John Edmond – singer songwriter entertainer storyteller light-hearted tragic children outdoors wildlife aviators pop love autobiography". johnedmond.co.za.
  5. "index.jpg". www.kunkuru.co.za. Archived from the original on 29 August 2004.