Webber, Cynthia

Websites:  No
Origin: Kingston, Jamaica → Toronto, Ontario, 🇨🇦
Biography:

Cynthia 'Joyce' Webber (July 28, 1941 – June 4, 2025)

Cynthia Webber, known affectionately as “Joyce,” was a pioneering voice in Jamaican music whose influence quietly shaped the country’s early recording scene. Born July 28, 1941, in Rose Town, Kingston, Jamaica, Cynthia grew up immersed in a musical household. Alongside her younger sister Merlene, she began performing in the early 1960s as the Webber Sisters, captivating audiences in Kingston’s vibrant club circuit. Their brother, David "King" Webber, would later make his own mark as a founding member of the legendary group The Gladiators.

The Webber Sisters’ rich harmonies soon attracted the attention of influential producer Clement “Coxson” Dodd of Studio One. Rebranded as The Tonettes, the duo recorded extensively, becoming one of Jamaica’s first female vocal groups to enter the recording studio—a quiet but groundbreaking step in a largely male-dominated industry. Their 1968 rock steady single “I’ll Give It to You” remains a beloved gem of the era. The sisters also contributed their harmonies—often uncredited—to several other recordings, most notably Prince Buster’s “Stop That Train” (credited at the time to the Spanish Town Skabeats), a song that would later achieve global recognition when re-recorded by Keith & Tex for Derrick Harriott.

In 1969, Cynthia emigrated to Toronto, Canada, where she balanced her devotion to family and a long career in nursing with an enduring passion for music. Settling in Toronto’s Caribbean diaspora, she remained active creatively, founding Black Eagle Records to release both archival and new recordings by the Webber Sisters. She continued to perform and record, including a notable gospel-tinged solo LP Sweet Soul and Inspiration—featuring her sister—produced by Ronald Ried and the noted Jamaican guitarist and arranger Ronnie “Bop” Williams, with Jackie Mittoo contributing on keyboards.

Though she never sought the spotlight, Cynthia ‘Joyce’ Webber quietly opened doors for countless women in Jamaican music. Her artistry bridged the early ska, rock steady, and soul eras, leaving a legacy defined by grace, resilience, and musical excellence. She passed away peacefully in Toronto on June 4, 2025, at the age of 83.

Cynthia is survived by her son Paul Reid, daughter-in-law Lori Reid, siblings Maria Ann, Merlene, and Vivian, as well as twenty-two grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
-Robert Williston