D’Wayne Wiggins, a singer, guitarist, and co-founder of the new jack swing trio Tony! Toni! Toné!, has died of bladder cancer. The news was shared on Wiggins and the band’s official social media accounts. Wiggins was 64 years old.
“D’Wayne’s life was incomparable, and his music and service impacted millions around the world, including in his hometown of Oakland, California,” Wiggins’ family said in a statement. “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.”
D’Wayne Patrice Wiggins co-founded Tony! Toni! Toné! with his brother Raphael Saadiq and cousin Timothy Christian Riley in the 1980s. Together, they were key figures of new jack swing, the genre that fused R&B, hip-hop, pop, dance, and jazz music to create something new and effervescent.
Tony! Toni! Toné! released their debut album, Who?, in 1988. The album contained several popular songs, including “Little Water” and “Baby Doll,” and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The trio’s second album, 1990’s The Revival, contained the hit single “Feels Good” and proved even more popular, earning a platinum certification.
Tony! Toni! Toné!’s third album, 1993’s Sons of Soul, featured another major hit (“If I Had No Loot”) and helped earn them their first Grammy nomination: Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal, for “Anniversary.” The trio also performed at the 1994 Grammy Awards, joining Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, and others in a star-studded tribute to Curtis Mayfield. Tony! Toni! Toné! released just one more album, 1996’s House of Music, before going on hiatus. They ultimately reunited, in 2023, for the Just Me and You Tour.
D’Wayne Wiggins released his lone solo album, Eyes Never Lie, in 2000. He self-produced the 13-song Motown release, which boasted guest contributions from Carlos Santana, Darius Rucker, and the saxophonist Najee.
Wiggins continued to work behind the scenes as a songwriter and producer. Among the notable songs he helped create were: Destiny’s Child on “Fancy,” “Killing Time,” and “My Song,” Christina Aguilera’s “Impossible,” Alicia Keys’ “Diary,” and Nivea’s “Have Mercy.”