D’Wayne Wiggins, one-third of the Grammy-nominated, iconic soul funk R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné! – the band achieved great success in the 1980s and ’90s, releasing three platinum albums and delivering a number of classic jams, including “Anniversary,” “It Never Rains (In Southern California),” and “Feels Good,” passed away on Friday morning March 7 at age 64.
His family shared the news of his passing on Instagram, revealing that he had been battling bladder cancer for over a year.
The news came just two days after the group posted on social media that Wiggins, a lead singer and guitarist, had been dealing with a “health problem.” On March 5, Tony! Toni! Toné wrote on Instagram, “We want to let you know that D’Wayne Wiggins is having medical issues. He is handling it one day at a time.”
In 1986, Wiggins co-founded Tony! Toni! Toné! with his half-brother, Charles Ray Wiggins (later known as Raphael Saadiq) who also sang lead and played bass, along with their cousin Timothy Christian Riley, who played the drums. They released their debut song, “One Night Stand,” the following year.
After signing with Wing Records, the group released their debut album, Who? in 1988. This album featured the hit song “Little Walter,” which highlighted their unique mix of funk, soul, R&B, and gospel, drawing inspiration from the mid-1980s New Jack Swing movement pioneered by producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Teddy Riley, along with artists like Guy, Blackstreet, and Keith Sweat.
“Little Walter” climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and their second album, The Revival, was mostly self-produced and was released in 1990. It included their classic, dance funk hit, “Feels Good.”
In addition to Who? and The Revival, the band’s catalog features their albums Sons of Soul (1993), which achieved double platinum status and House of Music (1996), which went platinum and is often considered their best work. However, the band broke up soon after House of Music was released, but reunited in 1998 without Sadiq, who went on to a successful career as a producer. Amar Khalil performed in his place, but they did not release any new albums.
The group remained silent for several years before resurfacing in 2003 with the Grammy-nominated song “Diary” from The Diary of Alicia Keys. They made another comeback in 2023 for a U.S. reunion tour to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Sons of Soul.
D’Wayne Patrice Wiggins was born on February 14, 1961, in Oakland, California to Charlie and Mary (Brown) Wiggins. He spent much of his life immersed in the funk, blues, and hip-hop music that surrounded the city and its local clubs. His father, a blues guitarist, often played at these venues, which Wiggins later mentioned was a great setting for a young musician to learn and grow.
“I grew up across the street from DeFremery Park, where Sly Stone used to play and the Black Panthers would hold rallies,” he once shared with The Las Cruces Sun-News. “Today, you have 20 million rappers in one city; back then you had 20 million musicians, bands all over the place.”
He, along with his brother and cousin, were exceptional musicians. They played in their high school band, which had the opportunity to perform in Europe and Hawaii, and all three pursued professional music careers after graduation.
Wiggins became involved with several bands in Oakland and eventually toured with gospel singer Tramaine Hawkins. Meanwhile, his brother and cousin collaborated with Scottish singer Sheena Easton and joined her on a world tour alongside Prince.
When the trio returned to Oakland in the mid-1980s, they decided to form their own band. The name Tony! Toni! Toné! originated from inside jokes about a favorite movie and a teacher’s admiration of Wiggins’ hair.
In 1995, Wiggins established Grass Roots Entertainment and set up a studio called House of Music in his home. This space soon became a hub for emerging artists, where talents like Destiny’s Child, Keyshia Cole, and India.Arie recorded their music. All of them frequently acknowledged him as a significant mentor during the early stages of their careers.
Although he was annoyed by the idea, many critics called Tony! Toni! Toné! “traditional” because they used guitars and organs along with blues and soul music styles. Wiggins pointed out that the group also incorporated turntables, fashion-forward aesthetics, and energetic dancing on stage – sometimes even doing cartwheels and splits when they were younger.
“A lot of writers and very seasoned musicians stay stuck in their zone and don’t want to branch out and don’t want to accept when it’s new,” Wiggins said in a 2017 interview with The Chicago Tribune. “I like pulling it into the fold.”
Wiggins also shared that he enjoyed collaborating with artists he admired, especially when he could be both a fan and a producer. He felt that this combination led to better teamwork and creativity.
“I really like when I can be a fan of an artist and do production,” he told The Sun-News. “…because it’s all about artists coming together and speaking, and seeing what magic they can create.”
Wiggins is survived by his brother and his sons, Dylan and Jaden.
