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Tier 3 · vertical & regionalfull biography
John Edmond
Person · male · Rhodesia · Luanshya · born 1936 · recording since 2005
Rhodesian folk singer
official homepagedatabasedatabase
Also known as ジョン・エドモンド
Timeline
12 events▣ Album 10◦ Birth 1★ Debut release 1
1930s
2000s
· Debut release
Debut release: Friends Rhodies Countrymen
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
2010s
Biography
English biography818 words · 2 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1372820028
Biography
John Edmond, also known as the "Bush Cat", (born 18 November 1936) is a Rhodesian-South African musician and former soldier.
Edmond's musical career began in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His early music career ran parallel to his military service in the Rhodesia Regiment, which he served in from 1960 to 1963. During his time in the military, Edmond often performed his music for his fellow soldiers. Following his time in the military, Edmond relocated to Johannesburg in the mid-1960s, working in both I.T. and music during his initial years of living in South Africa.
Edmond gained increased recognition in 1966 after writing "The U.D.I. Song" for South African singer Nick Taylor, a song which charted in Rhodesia and South Africa and subsequently began a full-time career in music. From 1971 to 1979, Edmond had a career as an armed entertainer for troops in the Rhodesian Security Forces during the Rhodesian Bush War. His work as an entertainer for the military during the Bush War led him to writing and releasing his most notable album Troopiesongs in 1976, which is largely written about the Bush War.
After the Rhodesian Bush War's conclusion and the independence of Zimbabwe, Edmond continued his music career in South Africa. He later started his own record label called Roan Antelope Music, named after the Roan Antelope copper mine in modern-day Zambia that Edmond worked in as a young man, under which he released his own music.
Due to running parallel to his time working for the Rhodesian Armed Forces, Edmond's earlier music often was about military service, major events in Rhodesian military history, and the life of soldiers. In addition to still writing about music related to the lives of soldiers and military service, Edmond's later music also often included topics about notable events and figures in the history of Southern Africa, his own family, and about life and the people of Rhodesia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, and Christian themes.
Background
John Edmond was born on 18 November 1936 in the town of Luanshya, which at the time of his birth was a part of the British protectorate of Northern Rhodesia, and is now presently located in Zambia as a part of the country's Copperbelt Province. Edmond's family is of Scottish origin. Edmond and his immediate family split their time between Edinburgh and Luanshya during his childhood. As a teenager, Edmond received further education at the Christian Brothers' College in Pretoria, South Africa.
Edmond was given a mouth organ as a birthday gift from his grandmother at age three and subsequently 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. At Christian Brothers' College, Edmond frequently took part in the productions of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, often being in lead roles in these productions, and was also the 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 returned to Luanshya and worked at the Roan Antelope copper mine.
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. 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 succeeded among its peers and progressed into cabaret and rock 'n' roll. After his military service, Edmond went to England to study computers and moved to South Africa in the mid-1960s. He became famous in Rhodesia during the Bush War with his album Troopiesongs. He was also a composer, writing hits like "The U.D.I. Song". After the war and Zimbabwean independence, Edmond recorded albums such as Zimsongs
ZimsongsSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe5:022The Great White Water4:053When Are You Coming Home Shamwari?3:124Nyaminyami3:585Son of a Dagga Boy3:466The Zim Rugby Party4:257The Bridge of Steel3:298Rockin' on a Rollin' Houseboat4:179Tale of a Hippo's Tale2:3110Where Do the Elephants Go4:3411Lucky Bean Lucy2:1012Story in the Sand3:1813Karanga Drums4:1014Piccaninny Dreams3:1915Angels on My Wingtips4:36 and Zimtrax.
In the 1980's, Edmond founded his own record label called Roan Antelope Music (RAM); since the 1980's the majority of Edmond's music has been published under RAM. One of the first notable works published under RAM was The story of Troopiesongs and the Rhodesian Bush War, a collection of lyrics for Troopiesongs. Prior to the creation of RAM, Edmond's music was published under labels such as Gallo and the now-defunct Satbel.
Since 1987, Edmond and his wife, Theresa, have owned and maintained a resort in South Africa named Kunkuru, located in the Bela-Bela area.
In 2018, Edmond released the album Legends, an album that was written in honor of notable figures of the various peoples and time periods of South Africa, including Paul Kruger, Shaka Zulu, Wolraad Woltemade, and Nelson Mandela. Edmond released his 50th album, Tales of the Birdwatchers.
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 8 | 49.7th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 10 | 82.3th |
| Studio albums | 10 | 91.1th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 12 | 88.9th |
| Recording span (years) | 12 | 30.2th |
| Genres | 1 | 56th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (10 release groups · 10 studio albums)
Albums · 10
2005 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 14 tracks · 57:20
1Rhodie Cologne3:192The Guinness Book of Records3:563On Guard5:444Northern Boy3:585The Bigger Scheme of Things3:596The Siege At Elands River2:557The Bushcat Band4:558Old Rhodie Photies4:409Another Tough Day in Africa5:0010Marching With the Diggers4:1711U.D.I State of Mind3:4712Zimbos Are Rhodies4:2113Rhodesian Schooldays3:2714Zambezi Dreaming3:02TROOPIESONGS - Complete 50th Anniversary Edition
2006 · studio album
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Tracklist · 49 tracks · 2:21:42
Disc 11I Wish I Was a Blue Job3:242Forgotten Soldier3:233Daddy Is a Trooper3:564Jungle Green3:055Flat Dog Blues2:086The Battle of Bembezi2:117The U.D.I. Song3:248A Soldier's Dream2:489Green and White2:2110Trooper Thomas3:0011The Candle That Burns3:0612Shangani Patrol2:1613The Happy Safari2:3614Entertainer's Sharp-End Blues3:2915Goodbye Not Goodnight3:0616Sling Your Slayer2:4217We Stand Alone1:5618The W.O.'s Gone All Disco3:0019Ratpack Boogie2:0820The Whistlin' Troopie2:5121For You Bob3:0822There's a Convoy Leaving2:4023The Gunship Calypso2:4124Back in the Sticks2:53Disc 21Sweet Banana3:352Black Boots2:343Pick Yourself Up2:024When the Leaf Is on the Tree3:535The Incredibles2:256Roger Was a Mine Dog2:337Warriors Bold2:468In the Name of Grey2:209It Makes Me So Sad2:5810Salisbury Town2:3411Daisy2:1512Keep Your Head Down2:5313The Green Leader Theme4:0414Troopie Boy You Won2:5315Cammo Clad Angel2:5516You Ain't No Hero3:1117Sergeant Guy2:2618Mother a Lady3:4119George3:1620Let's Have a Hooley2:5721Dad's Army3:2822The Penhalonga Piper3:1223Nobody Was There2:5024Flesh and Bone Soldier3:0925The Last Word in Rhodesian2:402011 · studio album
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Tracklist · 44 tracks · 2:14:56
Disc 11The Old Zimbabwe Ghost3:252David2:453Mosi-Oa-Tunya3:174The Spirit is Strong2:415The Zeederberg2:246How many Crosses2:327Sandy3:098The Scottish Pioneer3:009Bushtown2:3610Matabele Guitar2:0011Mashonaland Farewell3:5912Christmas in Rhodesia3:1913Noah the Phantom Ranger2:1614Chayira2:1115Salome, Jennifer and Me3:3116Ridgeback2:4417Farewell Britannia2:1918God's Country3:5219Rhodies Everywhere2:3920Enkeldoorn in Arizona2:5221Shosholoza/Phambile3:0522Keep the Flame Lily Burning3:32Disc 21Kum-A-Kye2:232The Regiment Lives on3:273Wheelchair Warrior3:224London Bobby2:185Down the River3:346Zimbabwe Ruins2:397Kashile4:118The Great White Tribe3:189Snakes and Snipers2:3210The Whenwe Song3:2511Rhodie Girl2:5412The Troopie2:5913Agisymban Trilogy4:0014Rhodesians of the World3:1115The Chilapalapa Song3:5016Rock 'n Roll Rhodie2:4017Braai in the Middle of England2:2018Armistice Day3:5919The Saints3:1220Toast to Harry4:3921Baden Powell3:0122Sitting in the Bundu2:542011 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 15 tracks · 56:52
1Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe5:022The Great White Water4:053When Are You Coming Home Shamwari?3:124Nyaminyami3:585Son of a Dagga Boy3:466The Zim Rugby Party4:257The Bridge of Steel3:298Rockin' on a Rollin' Houseboat4:179Tale of a Hippo's Tale2:3110Where Do the Elephants Go4:3411Lucky Bean Lucy2:1012Story in the Sand3:1813Karanga Drums4:1014Piccaninny Dreams3:1915Angels on My Wingtips4:362012 · studio album
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Tracklist · 18 tracks · 59:15
1All the Pretty Flowers3:022Rag Tag Army5:103A Trooper's Diary3:124Brittish Tommy Atkins3:235Johnny Boer3:006The Hill at Magersfontein3:127The Siege at Elands River2:538Fearless3:129I Will Lead Your Waggons3:2110The Unknown Soldier2:5111The Spirit of Breaker Morant3:2712Blessed Angles3:4013Shake Hands With De La Rey3:2014What in the Hell Was It For?3:1715Run Away3:0416I Married Me a Lady2:5417Sarie Marais3:4218We Are Good Friends Now2:352013 · studio album
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Tracklist · 24 tracks · 1:17:53
1Story in the Sand3:152Poor Little Umkolwane3:023Flick of the Hippo's Tail2:314Ngulube Made the Wallow3:185The Spell of Impisi3:346Ixoxo Crowned the King of the Beasts3:057Where Do the Elephants Go?4:278Hadida and Umpangwa3:009Inja the Dog2:1710Old Thekwane3:3411Klokwe and Kalulu4:1612Chingwe's Hole3:2613Tree Without a Name3:5714Never Monkey Around With a Giraffe3:1015The Wild Wild Melon2:5716Zonke Tina4:2517The Wise Old Eagle Owl3:0018Oowe the Hyena2:3819How Did the Leopard Get His Spots?2:0020The Croc Needs a Doc3:0021The Jackal and the Eland2:1122The Hare and the Duiker3:0023The Mahobahoba Tree4:4224Balisa and the Bees3:08Of Aeroplanes & African Plains
2014 · studio album
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Tracklist · 15 tracks · 1:02:45
1Jambo Kilimanjaro4:342Checklist Blues5:033Tigers in Africa4:354You're Beautiful3:095Old Bold Pilots3:466An African Love Song4:577Homesick Angel3:128Where Have All the Eagles Gone4:43943 Airschool3:4110Matabele Guitar3:5411The Deafening Silence5:1312Drink the Zambezi Water3:5813Kunkuru Eagles4:5414You Ain't No Hero2:5015Bush Christmas4:16Songs of the African Battlefields
2014 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 48:07
1The Cape Frontier3:212U Shaka the Warrior4:153The Big Green Wagon2:314The Blood River Miracle5:115Isandlwana4:296Rorke's Drift3:517When the Young Prince Imperial Died3:388Englishmen Up On Majuba3:369Spioen Kop4:3810The Jewel of India3:0111The Pepper Tree4:3912Don't Talk Too Loud4:57Boer and Brit Battlefield Heroes
2016 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 48:02
1Goodbye Dolly Gray3:522Thorn Among the Roses3:103Reverend Bailey4:454Deep Compassion in the Eyes4:195Why Bully General Buller?6:026Pride of the Fighting Boer4:067Siener Van Rensburg4:558Sitting in a Blockhouse2:459Girl on Commando4:1610Billy Eagle the Brave4:4311Bittereinder2:3912Phantom Piper in the Sky2:30Salute in Song to the Rhodesian Forces & the Fallen
2017 · studio album
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Tracklist · 18 tracks · 1:05:21
1The Regiment Lives On3:312In the Name of Grey2:243Rhodesia Regiment4:074The Streets of Delville Wood4:195The Red Hatband and the Red Beret4:496Green Leader4:077Sweet Banana3:388Who Dares Wins4:169George3:1910Roger Was a Mine Dog2:3611The Incredibles2:2812Pamwe Chete3:5213Dad's Army3:3214Cammo Clad Angel2:5815Wheelchair Warrior3:2616Old Warrior3:5617Agisymban Trilogy4:0418Armistice Day3:59
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put John Edmond head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 8 | 49.7th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 10 | 82.3th |
| Studio albums | 10 | 91.1th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 12 | 88.9th |
| Recording span (years) | 12 | 30.2th |
| Genres | 1 | 56th |
Awards & honours
Where this record comes from
aliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/4cb20e95-a226-49d1-a333-04bf6e6b060adiscography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/4cb20e95-a226-49d1-a333-04bf6e6b060acore—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6231187genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6231187seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Edmondbiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Edmond
Why this artist is in the database
- List of South African musicians
Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: no portrait (not displayed: the licence credit is missing)
Wikidata: Q6231187 · MusicBrainz: 4cb20e95-a226-49d1-a333-04bf6e6b060a
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