BY: Walker
Published 2 weeks ago
D’Wayne Wiggins, founding member of the unparalleled trio Tony! Toni! Toné!, has died at the age of 64.
Wiggins’ death was announced on Friday, March 7 on the band’s official Instagram in a statement that said he’d been “privately and courageously battling bladder cancer” over the last year.
“With broken hearts, we share with you that our beloved D’Wayne passed away this morning surrounded by family and friends,” the statement read. “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, saying Wiggins’ “life was incomparable,” and that his contributions to the world impacted millions of people, including in his hometown of Oakland, Calif.
“He was a guitarist, producer, composer, philanthropist, mentor and founding member of Tony! Toni! Toné!,” the statement said. “He was deeply passionate about providing artist development and mentorship to emerging young musicians, helping to shape the early careers of many.”
The announcement came two days after Wiggins’ family posted that he was “experiencing medical complications” that he was “working through… one day at a time.”
Wiggins founded Tony! Toni! Toné! in Oakland in 1986 with half-brother Raphael Saadiq and their cousin Timothy Christian Riley, and the group released its first album, Who?, two years later.
They broke through with the critically acclaimed album Sons of Soul in 1993 before releasing their fourth and final album House of Music in 1996. Over their decade-long run, the trio scored a dozen singles in Billboard’s Top 10 R&B/hip-hop chart thanks to their “seamless fusion of new jack swing, gospel roots, and classic R&B influences,” according to their website.
In 1996, Tony! Toni! Toné! went their separate ways in order to pursue solo careers. Wiggins — who is also credited with helping nurture the early careers of Destiny’s Child on his Grass Roots Entertainment label — released his first solo project in 2000, which featured collaborations with Carlos Santana and Darius Rucker.
In 2003, he earned a Grammy nomination for his work on Alicia Keys’ single “Diary.”
Wiggins continued touring with Tony! Toni! Toné! over the years, and in 2023, Saadiq, 58, reunited with the group for a reunion tour.
via: People
