John Edmond

Last updated

John Edmond
Born (1936-11-18) 18 November 1936 (age 88)
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
Years active1956 – present
SpouseTeresa Edmond
Children4
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • 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 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). [6]

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

References

  1. "Exclusive: Interview with Rhodesian singer/songwriter John Edmond". thecornellreview.org. 6 October 2020. Archived from the original on 26 May 2025.
  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. Archived from the original on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  4. "Welcome to | John Edmond – singer songwriter entertainer storyteller light-hearted tragic children outdoors wildlife aviators pop love autobiography". johnedmond.co.za. Archived from the original on 2 April 2025.
  5. "index.jpg". www.kunkuru.co.za. Archived from the original on 29 August 2004.
  6. Worley, Terry (17 October 2014). "Legendary singer, songwriter John Edmond in Dundee". Northern Natal News. Archived from the original on 10 November 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2024.