D’Wayne Wiggins, founding member of beloved R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!, has died at age 64. Wiggins, who was surrounded by family members when he died on Friday, was living with bladder cancer for the past year, according to Variety.
The family expressed their grief in a social media post, saying “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!,” the family added, per Variety. “He was deeply passionate about providing artist development and mentorship to emerging young musicians, helping to shape the early careers of many.”
View this post on Instagram
Wiggins served as the lead vocalist and guitarist of Tony! Toni! Toné! after forming the group with his brother Raphael Saadiq and cousin Christian Riley in 1986. The group released four albums and earned five No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Tony! Toni! Toné!, which was formed in Oakland, released hits like “Feels Good,” “It Never Rains (In Southern California),” “Anniversary” and “Let’s Get Down.”
Wiggins also released his debut album “Eyes Never Lie” as a solo artist in 2000. The album featured Carlos Santana and Darius Rucker.
According to KTVU, Wiggins was scheduled to perform at the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts in Tracy, California on March 22, but that event was canceled. Two days before Wiggins died, Tony! Toni! Toné! announced that he was facing medical complications and he’s working through it “one day at a time.”
“We know how beloved he is by so many, and we are grateful for your prayers and concern,” the group said at that time, per KTVU.
