From young Songwriter to SAMRO's longest-seeving board member: John Edmond remembers
As a singer and songwriter in the sixties – he published his first song on March 9th 1966 – John Edmond soon learnt the importance of registering his works with SAMRO, and nearly four decades later he’s the organisation’s longest-serving board member.
Now running Roan Antelope Enterprises (incorporating Roan Antelope Music and Kunkuru Private Bush Lodge), in Leeupoort, Eastern Cape, Edmond is a proud SAMRO supporter. "As a struggling youg pop and folk singer and composer, it was comforting to think that there was an organisation like SAMRO behind the scenes protecting and collecting our musical rights. It was then that I realized that pop and modern music could be one of the cornerstones and foundations on which SAMRO could be built."
Having worked for some time with Gallo Music Publishers, Edmond first served on the board of the (then) newly-formed SAMRO retirement annuity fund before being appointed to the main board in 1987. He also serves on the board of SENA (SAMRO’s Endowment for the National Arts).
"Since that day nearly 40 years ago, I have watched SAMRO grow for humble beginnings to what it is today and am proud to have been part of that growth. From a small office suite in Cavendish Chambers in Jeppe Street to its current premises in SAMRO House, SAMRO has done South African composers proud."
Edmond says he’s very upbeat about the new logo and brand repositioning. "The old SAMRO logo is very dear to my heart and was stamped on many manuscripts that passed through my hands. The new logo is a symbol of progress and on-going growth of the organisation in the new South Africa. It is moder and fresh and it has moved with the times. May it have the same symbolism to our new young composers as the old one did for the pioneers of music in South Africa."
