Tony! Toni! Toné! Musician D'Wayne Wiggins Dies at 64: His 'Life Was Incomparable'

Mar. 15, 2025

Mat Hayward/Getty

D’Wayne Wiggins, a Grammy-nominated singer and guitarist best known for his work with the soul/R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!, has died. He was 64.

Wiggins’ deathwas announcedon 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.

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.

D’Wayne Wiggins, Raphael Saadiq and Timothy Christian Riley of Tony! Toni! Toné! poses for photos backstage at Navy Pier in Chicago in August 1988.Raymond Boyd/Getty

Raymond Boyd/Getty

“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’ familypostedthat 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-brotherRaphael Saadiqand their cousin Timothy Christian Riley, and the group released its first album,Who?, two years later.

Raphael Saadiq and D’wayne Wiggins attends the Chateau Nightclub & Gardens in November 2012 in Las Vegas.Johnny Nunez/WireImage

Johnny Nunez/WireImage

They broke through with the critically acclaimed albumSons of Soulin 1993 before releasing their fourth and final albumHouse of Musicin 1996. Over their decade-long run, the trio scored a dozen singles inBillboard’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 ofDestiny’s Childon his Grass Roots Entertainment label — released his first solo project in 2000, which featured collaborations withCarlos SantanaandDarius Rucker.

In 2003, he earned a Grammy nomination for his work onAlicia 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.

source: people.com