D’Wayne Wiggins Dies: Tony! Toni! Toné! Co-Founder Was 64

D’Wayne Wiggins, a founding member of Grammy-nominated group Tony! Toni! Toné!, has died, his family announced. He was 64.

Wiggins passed away after battling cancer, his relatives said in a statement posted to Instagram on Friday, March 7.

“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 read.

Family members noted that the singer, guitarist, and record producer had devoted his time to helping up-and-coming artists.

“He was deeply passionate about providing artist development and mentorship to emerging young musicians, helping to shape the early careers of many,” the statement added.

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On March 4, St. Louis blogger Blanco Tarantino TV reported  that Wiggins was in hospice care.

The next day, the musician’s family released a statement saying he was “experiencing medical complications.”

D’Wayne Wiggins was born in Oakland, California and attended Castlemont High School.

He co-founded Tony! Toni! Toné! with his brother Raphael “Saadiq” Wiggins, and their cousin Timothy Christian Riley in 1986, according to the group’s website.

The trio released four studio albums in the 1980s and ’90s, and was nominated for two Grammy Awards.

In 1988, their debut album Who? included the breakout singles “Baby Doll” and “Little Walter.”

But it was their sophomore album The Revival that took their careers to another level. The New Jack Swing single “Feels Good” climbed to No. 9 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

The album also included the hits “It Never Rains (In Southern California),” and “Whatever You Want.”

Among the group’s other popular songs before they disbanded were “(Lay Your Head on My) Pillow,” “Anniversary,” and “Let’s Get Down” featuring DJ Quik.

In a 2023 interview with Oakland news station KTVU-TV, Wiggins said he loved to give back by mentoring young artists. He also revealed that he produced a tour for Zendaya back in the mid-2000s when the actress and singer starred on Disney Channel series Shake It Up.

“I was the production manager of the whole thing, so I kept it at A-plus industry level,” Wiggins said, adding that he helped young artists from Oakland get work on the tour.

“We auditioned kids at Oakland School for the Arts and we would bring 15 kids weekly from Oakland to L.A. …and I know it had to be something for them at that age,” he said with pride.