Cynthia Joyce Webber was born in Rose Town, Kingston, Jamaica on July 28th, 1941. Her smooth harmonies and musical contributions have cemented her as a pioneering woman in the Jamaican music scene. The trailblazer moved to Toronto, Canada in 1969, living as part of the city’s Caribbean diaspora for over 50 years.

Webber, affectionately known as Joyce, grew up in a family steeped in music. Her brother, David “”King”” Webber, founded the Gladiators, and her sister, Merlene Webber, would join her as part of group the Webber Sisters. The Webber Sisters began performing across Kingston in theatres and clubs until one fateful day they impressed Coxsonne Dodd of the famous Studio One label. He took the Webber Sisters under his wing, and suggested they rebrand as the Tonettes.

They began recording in 1963, marking a major milestone as one of the first Jamaican girl groups to record. They released several tracks, with their greatest hit being “I’ll Give It to You” (1968). They recorded several uncredited tracks as well, with their most significant being “Stop That Train”. The song would later be re-imagined by Keith & Tex and produced by Derrick Harriott, which is still considered one of the greatest rock steady tracks to date.

After emigrating to Toronto, Webber became a nurse and caregiver, but never lost touch with her first passion. She founded Black Eagle Records where she would release archival materials and even new songs by the Webber Sisters. Not did she continue to record but continued performing as well. Under her label they released several songs, working with other renowned musicians like Pluggy Satchmo and Stranger Cole. Both she and her sister released LP Sweet Soul and Inspiration. Produced by Ronald Reid, it features guitarist and arranger Ronnie “Bop” Williams and reggae legend Jackie Mittoo on the keyboards.

Cynthia Joyce Webber sadly passed away on June 4th, 2025 at the age of 83. She leaves behind loving family, friends, and an indelible imprint on the Jamaican music scene, opening the door for other women to follow.