Zalmon (born in Jakarta, 15 September 1954 - died in Padang, West Sumatra, 21 May 2011 at the age of 56 years) is a legendary Minang pop song singer. Throughout his musical career until his death, he has produced no less than 120 albums of Minang songs.
He is known by the Minangkabau people, both those in his hometown (realm) and those outside West Sumatra (rantau) as a singer who with his hoarse voice sings sentimental songs with a soft tone chanting the fate and suffering (parasaian) of Minangkabau humans in live a life both at home and abroad.
Zalmon started recording in the late 80's with his song Nan Tido Manahan Hati (Who Has No Holdback) which became a hit at that time. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s his name was increasingly recognized by many people with the release of several albums that produced hit songs in West Sumatra and in the overseas areas of the Minang people, including Kasiak Tujuah Muaro (Pasir Tujuh Muara), Ratok Padi Ampo (Ratap Padi Hollow), Sapayuang Bajauah Hati (Sepayung Berjauh Hati), Buruak Sisiak (Bad Sisik), Diseso Bayang (Tortured by Shadow) and several other songs. The song Nan Tido Manahan Hati is very popular with many Minang people, it is even considered in demand in Indonesia so that he was awarded the HDX Award in 1995
The presence of Zalmon in the early 1990s was felt by the Minang community as a thirst quencher because of the dry world of music and song at that time. The Minangkabau community seemed to have gotten a new idol after the absence of Tiar Ramon, who also sang lamented songs. Zalmon is also considered an artist who revived the passion of music in West Sumatra after the heyday of Elly Kasim, Ernie Djohan, and previous Minang singers. Zalmon's popularity not only made his album sell well, but also made him many invited to hold performances by the Minang community overseas. Zalmon has performed in several cities in Indonesia and Malaysia, such as Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur.
After working for about 20 years, from the end of the 1980s to 2011, Zalmon finally left his fans on May 21, 2011 due to pneumonia. Many people feel lost over Zalmon's departure, ranging from ordinary people to officials and community leaders in West Sumatra.
