Edmonton was born in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. Both his brother Dennis, also known as Mars Bonfire, and he changed their surnames to Edmonton during the 1960s, when they performed in a group called The Sparrows. John Kay and Goldy McJohn joined this group in Toronto in 1965 and, after some more changes in personnel and relocating to California, the group was renamed Steppenwolf.
When Steppenwolf temporarily broke up on February 14, 1972, Edmonton and Steppenwolf organist Goldy McJohn formed the band Seven with singer Lance Gullickson and guitarist Robin Huff. After Seven, Edmonton, and McJohn formed Manbeast with Rod Prince and Roy Cox of Bubble Puppy before Steppenwolf reconvened in 1974 for three albums before breaking up again in 1976.
Edmonton married former Steppenwolf bandmate Andy Chapin's widow in the 1980s. Edmonton died in a car accident, crashing into a tree after failing to manoeuvre a turn, in Santa Ynez, California, on November 28, 1993.

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