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New York Times
08-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
D'Wayne Wiggins, One Third of the R&B Group Tony! Toni! Toné!, Dies at 64
D'Wayne Wiggins, who brought his smooth baritone to millions of fans as a founding member and the lead singer of the R&B trio Tony! Toni! Toné!, which had three platinum albums and a slew of hits in the 1980s and '90s including 'Feels Good' and 'The Blues,' died on Friday at his home in Oakland, Calif. He was 64. His family said in a statement on social media that the cause was bladder cancer. Mr. Wiggins was born and raised in Oakland and lived there most of his life, absorbing and blending the blues, funk and hip-hop sounds that he encountered on the city's streets and in its clubs, where his father, a blues guitarist, was a regular performer. He formed Tony! Toni! Toné! in 1986 with his half brother, Charles Ray Wiggins (later known as Raphael Saadiq), who sang and played bass, and their cousin Timothy Christian Riley, who played drums. The trio first found success performing around the San Francisco Bay Area, but they did not release their first album, 'Who?,' until 1988. It was an immediate hit: Their debut single, 'Little Walter,' reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart; three more singles from the album reached the Top 10; and the album was certified gold. 'Who?' leaned into the traditional blues sound that the trio had grown up with, but their next three albums ventured into new territory, incorporating hip-hop, upbeat soul and dance-pop — a blend that came to be known as New Jack Swing. Their sophomore effort, 'The Revival' (1990), included their best-known hit, the radio-friendly 'Feels Good,' which topped the Billboard R&B chart and reached No. 9 on the Hot 100. Though Mr. Wiggins bristled at the suggestion, critics often labeled the trio 'traditional' because of their use of guitars and organs and their deployment of blues and soul arrangements. As he pointed out, they also incorporated turntables, flashy clothes and ecstatic onstage dancing — even, in their spry youth, cartwheels and splits. '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,' Mr. Wiggins said in a 2017 interview with The Chicago Tribune. 'I like pulling it into the fold.' Dwayne Patrice Wiggins was born on Feb. 14, 1961, in Oakland to Charlie and Mary (Brown) Wiggins. It was, he later recalled, an excellent place for a budding musician to grow up. 'I grew up across the street from DeFremery Park, where Sly Stone used to play and the Black Panthers would hold rallies,' he told The Las Cruces Sun-News in 2016. 'Today, you have 20 million rappers in one city; back then you had 20 million musicians, bands all over the place.' He, his brother and his cousin were prodigious musicians. They played in their high school band, which performed in Europe and Hawaii, and all three went professional after graduating. Mr. Wiggins joined a number of bands around Oakland and eventually went on tour with the gospel singer Tramaine Hawkins. His brother and Mr. Riley worked with the Scottish singer Sheena Easton and joined her on a world tour with Prince. When the three returned to Oakland, in the mid-1980s, they decided to form their own band. The name Tony! Toni! Toné! came from a private joke about a mutual friend's name. 'When we came off the road, by that time we realized what we had — and that we could be making a lot of money and music as our own band,' Mr. Wiggins told The Los Angeles Times in 1997. Along with 'Who?' and 'The Revival,' the band's albums included 'Sons of Soul' (1993), which went double platinum, and 'House of Music' (1996), which went platinum and is widely considered their best work. The band broke up soon after 'House of Music' was released but reunited in 1998, without Mr. Saadiq, who went on to a successful career as a producer; Amar Khalil performed in his place. They did not release any new albums. The original lineup of Tony! Toni! Toné! reunited in 2019 for a one-time concert, then again in 2023 for a short tour. Along with his brother, Mr. Wiggins's survivors include a son, Dylan. In 1995 Mr. Wiggins founded the company Grass Roots Entertainment and opened a studio, House of Music, in his home. It quickly became an incubator for new talent: Destiny's Child, Keyshia Cole and all recorded there, and they all spoke often of Mr. Wiggins as an important mentor in their early careers. 'I love working with artists that I'm inspired by,' he told The Sun-News. 'I really like when I can be a fan of an artist and do production, because it's all about artists coming together and speaking, and seeing what magic they can create.'
Express Tribune
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
D'Wayne Wiggins, Tony! Toni! Toné! co-founder, dead at 64
D'Wayne Wiggins, the singer, guitarist, and co-founder of the influential R&B trio Tony! Toni! Toné!, has died at the age of 64 after battling bladder cancer. His passing was confirmed through official social media accounts, with his family honoring his legacy in a heartfelt statement. 'D'Wayne's life was incomparable, and his music and service impacted millions around the world, including in his hometown of Oakland, California,' his family said. 'He was a guitarist, producer, composer, philanthropist, and mentor, deeply passionate about artist development.' Wiggins co-founded Tony! Toni! Toné! in the 1980s alongside his brother Raphael Saadiq and cousin Timothy Christian Riley. The group played a key role in shaping new jack swing, blending R&B, hip-hop, pop, and jazz. Their debut album, Who? (1988), achieved gold certification, while The Revival (1990) went platinum with hits like Feels Good. Their 1993 album Sons of Soul brought further success with the hit If I Had No Loot and earned a Grammy nomination. The group performed at the 1994 Grammy Awards in a tribute to Curtis Mayfield. After their last album, House of Music (1996), the trio took a hiatus before reuniting in 2023 for the Just Me and You Tour. Beyond his work with the band, Wiggins was a prolific producer and songwriter, collaborating with Destiny's Child, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys, and Nivea. His contributions to R&B and his mentorship of young artists leave a lasting legacy.
Los Angeles Times
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
D'Wayne Wiggins, founding member of Tony! Toni! Toné!, dies after private cancer battle
D'Wayne Wiggins, a singer-songwriter and a guitarist who was a founding member of the soul and R&B trio Tony! Toni! Toné!, has died after a private battle with cancer. He was 64. Wiggins died Friday morning 'surrounded by family and loved ones,' his family announced in a statement shared on both the musician's and the band's Instagram pages. Amid his cancer battle over the past year, Wiggins 'remained committed and present for his family, his music, his fans and his community.' Wiggins died after his family and Tony! Toni! Toné! shed light publicly on his health Wednesday. The group and Wiggins' loved ones had said in a previous Instagram post that the singer was 'experiencing medical complications' but did not disclose additional details. The family said at the time Wiggins was 'working through it one day at a time.' Tony! Toni! Toné! was set to perform March 22 at the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts in Tracy, Calif., but the venue announced Wednesday that the group canceled the event 'due to illness.' Wiggins, born Feb. 14, 1961, was an Oakland native who co-founded Tony! Toni! Toné! The group was known for smooth R&B hits 'Anniversary' and 'It Never Rains (in Southern California).' He formed the group in 1986 with half brother Raphael Saadiq (born Charles Ray Wiggins) and cousin Timothy Christian Riley. Though the group, which can trace its roots to casual jam sessions, was most famous in the late '80s to mid-1990s, its sound can be found in the works of modern R&B and hip-hop stars, including Alicia Keys, Freddie Gibbs and Tinashe. 'D'wayne was my childhood idol,' Saadiq told The Times in 1997. 'He was everything. In Oakland, he was one of the baddest guitar players in the baddest band on the scene. He was the man.' Before Tony! Toni! Toné!, Wiggins and Saadiq's childhood days were filled with soul and gospel music, and the sounds the Bay Area had to offer. 'The way every block now has 10 rappers, there were 10 bands on every block back then,' Wiggins told The Times in 1997. In addition to talent shows and various band battles, the trio of relatives got their start playing music at church and touring with Oakland's Castlemont High School's acclaimed musical group, the Castleers. Tony! Toni! Toné! was born in 1986 when its to-be co-founders realized they could find success as their own entity. So, why Tony! Toni! Toné!? The name was an inside joke for a stylish person and somewhat inspired by actor Andy Garcia's turn in 'Untouchables.' The trio released its debut album 'Who?' in 1988, which counted singles 'Little Walter' and 'Born Not to Know' among its nine tracks. In the following years Tony! Toni! Toné! released four albums including its sophomore release 'The Revival,' which featured hits 'Feels Good' and 'It Never Rains (In Southern California).' The group's junior release 'Sons of Soul' landed in 1993 and its penultimate track, 'Anniversary' would earn Tony! Toni! Toné! its first Grammy nomination and cement the group's place in the modern R&B lexicon. The 1996 album 'House of Music' marked the final release of the trio's original run. The group disbanded as its members pursued solo careers. Wiggins founded Grass Roots Entertainment in West Oakland, which at one point signed girl group Destiny's Child. Wiggins, through his Oakland studio, also helped foster the careers of Keys, Keyshia Cole and Jamie Foxx. Tony! Toni! Toné! collaborated with Keys for her 2003 album, 'The Diary of Alicia Keys.' The group earned a nomination for Key's song 'Diary' at the 47th Grammy Awards. Decades after going their separate ways, the members of Tony! Toni! Toné! announced in 2023 that they would reunite for their first tour in 25 years. In a 2023 interview with Billboard, Wiggins said the music of Tony! Toni! Toné! was 'the soundtrack to a lot of people's lives.' That much could be said for Wiggins and his relatives-turned-collaborators. 'You can have problems in the business and even problems in the family,' he told The Times in 1997, 'but when we're jamming, the energy is just there.' Wiggins' family said Friday that the musician was also a 'producer, composer, philanthropist, mentor' who was passionate about supporting and amplifying young artists. 'For now, we ask that you continue to respect our privacy,' the family added. 'We mourn with you, and are deeply grateful for your love and support.'
The Independent
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
D'Wayne Wiggins death: Tony! Toni! Toné! singer and guitarist dies aged 64
D'Wayne Wiggins, who was a founding member of the R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!, has died. He was 64. Wiggins sang and played guitar in the band, which he formed in Oakland, California, in 1986 with his brother Raphael Saadiq (born Charles Ray Wiggins) and their cousin Timothy Christian Riley. In a statement posted on social media, the Wiggins family said: 'With broken hearts, we share with you that our beloved D'Wayne passed away this morning surrounded by family and loved ones. 'Over the past year, he has been privately and courageously battling bladder cancer. Through this fight, he remained committed and present for his family, his music, his fans and his community.' The statement continued: 'D'Wayne's life was incomparable, and his music and service impacted millions around the world, including in his hometown of Oakland, California. 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.' It concluded: 'For now, we ask that you continue to respect our privacy. We mourn with you, and are deeply grateful for your love and support.' Wiggins was born on February 14, 1961. He was born in West Oakland and raised in East Oakland, attending Castlemont High School. At the age of 25, he founded Tony! Toni! Toné! with his brother, who also sang and played bass, and his cousin on drums. They released their debut album, Who?, in 1988, featuring the single 'Little Walter,' which topped the soul charts. 1990 follow-up The Revival included the new jack swing hit 'Feels Good'. The group enjoyed their biggest commercial success with 1993's Sons of Soul, which went double platinum. They released their fourth and final album, House of Music, in 1996 before splitting. In 2000, Wiggins released his solo album, Eyes Never Lie, which featured collaborations with Darius Rucker of Hootie and the Blowfish, Jamie Foxx and Carlos Santana and is credited as influencing the development of the neo soul genre. In 2003, Wiggins appeared on the track 'Diary' from Alicia Keys's album The Diary of Alicia Keys. The song was nominated for a Grammy. In 2023, Tony! Toni! Toné! reunited for the 'Just Me and You Tour' of the US to mark the thirtieth anniversary of Sons of Soul. It was the group's first tour in twenty-five years.
