D’Wayne Wiggins, a founding member of the R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!, has died at the age of 64.
In a statement posted to social media, his family said that he died earlier this morning, surrounded by his family. He had been battling bladder cancer over the past year, and earlier this week, Tony! Toni! Toné! spoke out about concerns for his health.
“D’Wayne’s life was incomparable, and his music and service impacted millions around the world, including in his hometown of Oakland, California,” said the Wiggins family. “He was a guitarist, producer, composer, philanthropist, mentor and founding member of Tony! Toni! Tone! He was deeply passionate about providing artist development and mentorship to emerging young musicians, helping to shape the early careers of many.
“For now, we ask that you continue to respect our privacy. We mourn with you, and are deeply grateful for your love and support.”
Born and raised in Oakland, CA, Wiggins embraced his love of music at the age of 11, when he first picked up the guitar. In 1986, he formed Tony! Toni! Toné! with his brother Raphael Saadiq and their cousin Christian Riley, serving as lead vocalist and guitarist for the group. They released their first album “Who?” in 1988, but hit their mainstream stride in 1993 with their third album “Sons of Soul,” which spawned the hits “Anniversary” and “(Lay Your Head on My) Pillow.” Before disbanding in 1996, the trio established itself as one of the pillars of the New Jack Swing movement, earning five No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
As a solo musician, Wiggins released his debut album “Eyes Never Lie” in 2000, featuring guest appearances from Carlos Santana and Darius Rucker. He launched Grass Roots Entertainment, helping to nurture the careers of Destiny’s Child and Keyshia Cole, and worked with Alicia Keys on her Grammy-nominated 2003 album “The Diary of Alicia Keys” to produce “If I Was Your Woman”/”Walk on By.” On that same album, Tony! Toni! Toné! appeared on “Diary” without Saadiq.
Over the years, he had been an innovative figure in hyphy, a Bay Area hip-hop subgenre punctuated by high-energy beats and rhymes. He worked with artists and groups including Too Short, the Team, Mac Mal, Spice 1, and Casual.
Tony! Toni! Toné! most recently embarked on their “Just Me and You” reunion tour in 2023. They did not allow cell phones or recordings at the shows, but Saadiq told Variety last month that footage from the trek will be used in an upcoming documentary about his career.
Source: Variety
