Country singer Joyce Seamone was born in Maplewood, Nova Scotia. Introduced to music at a young age, she began singing with school and church choirs and made appearances in local talent and variety shows. This led to a few performances on radio and television and then, in 1972, a recording session with Marathon Records that resulted in a Canadian gold record, the hit single "Testing 1-2-3". Throughout the '70's she toured and recorded four studio albums, but eventually scaled back her career as a musician in order to concentrate on raising her family.

During the '90's Seamone got back into the music biz, toured overseas for the first time, wrote and recorded the offical song for Bridgewater, Nova Scotia's 100th anniversary celebrations, and recorded a couple of albums, including one about the history and music of Maplewood. More recently, she published a book entitled Music Horror Stories: A Collection of Gruesome, True Tales As Told By Actual Innocent Victims Seeking A Career In The Music Business and in 2004 was inducted into the Nova Scotia Country Music Hall of Fame.

This album, Stand By For A Special Announcement, was released in 1973, but unfortunately there's almost no information on the back cover about where it was recorded or who the session musicians were. I'd especially like to know who's responsible for the way-funky bass and drum breakdown in the middle of "Wash Day Blues," which is a Dolly Parton cover. The bittersweet "Smiling Wine" is another cover, originally by Chatham, Ontario's Sylvia Tyson (of Ian and Sylvia fame), while "Listen To A Country Song" was a 1972 hit for American Lynn Anderson. The sole original tune here, "Why Must You Leave Me Alone," was written by the only musician mentioned by name in the liner notes, songwriter and pianist Ray Bryan. For her part, Seamone has a nice, sturdy country music voice, plenty charming and full of youthful enthusiasm.

Wash Day Blues
Smiling Wine
Listen To A Country Song
Why Must You Leave Me Alone

(by Kevin McGowan)

At long last, I've found Joyce's first LP (2 copies, actually), featuring her hit single "Testing 1-2-3". It's a classic sounding love song with some wild slide guitar. Another great song, LA International Airport, is a faster number, really dancey.

Testing 1-2-3
L.A. International Airport