John Edmond

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".

John Edmond
Born (1936-11-18) 18 November 1936
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
Years active1956 – present
SpouseTeresa Edmond
Children4
Military career
Allegiance Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland[1]
 Rhodesia
Service/branch Rhodesian Army
Years of service (1960–1963)
(1971-1979)
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • bagpipes
LabelsRoan Antelope Music
Websitejohnedmond.co.za

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 Request2004 Gallo
Friends, Rhodies, Countrymen2005 RAM
Wild and Beautiful and Free1990 RAM
Heritage 2007 RAM
Zimsongs2011 RAM
Songs of the African Bush2013 RAM
ZimtraxRAM
Tales of the Game Rangers, Vol. 1 to Vol. 4See notes RAMVolume 1 (1984), Volume 2 (1987), Volume 3 (1989), Volume 4 (1993)
Stories en Liedjies van die Wildtuin, Vol. 1 & 2RAM
The Boer War in Song 2012 RAM Afrikaans version Die Boere Oorlog In Lied released 2014 by RAM.
Campfire 'n Jamboree 2013 RAM With The Campfire Singers
Songs of the African Battlefields 2014 RAM
Of Aeroplanes & African Plains 2014 RAM
Boer and Brit Battlefield Heroes 2016 RAM
Battlesongs of Brave Boer and Briton 2017 RAM
From the Pen of John Edmond 2017 RAM
Legends 2018 RAM
Tales of Bird Watches, Vol.1 2018 RAM
Songs of Kruger Park 2019 RAM
Tales of Bird Watchers, Vol.2 2019 RAM
Christmas in Africa 2020 RAM
Ian Douglas Smith: The Man 2021 RAM A series of interviews with Ian Smith, retelling the stories of his life, with occasional songs and commentary from Edmond
Singin' with the Birds 2021 RAM
Ballads of the Bushveld 2022
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
Pasadena1972MapHit single
Every Day, Every Night1972MapHit single
Toy Train1973MapHit 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

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