Los Angeles – D’Wayne Wiggins, founding member of the Grammy Tony group! Toni! Tone! Behind the classic songs “Anniversary”, “It Never Rains (in southern California)” and (put his head on me) pillow, “he died. He was 64 years old.
Wiggins died Friday morning after fighting bladder cancer during the past year, according to a statement issued by his family in social networks.
“D’E Wayne’s life was incomparable, and his music and service impacted millions worldwide, even in his hometown of Oakland, California,” his family said in a statement. “He was a guitarist, producer, composer, philanthropist, mentor and founding member of Tony! Toni! Tone! He deeply passionate to provide development and tutoring of artists to young emerging musicians, helping to shape the first races of many.”
His family added: “Through this fight, he remained committed and present for his family, his music, his fans and his community.”
Wiggins was a vocalist and bass of the beloved RANDB Grupo, which included his brother Raphael Saadiq and his cousin Christian Riley. The group became pillars of the new swing cat movement, mixing RANDB, jazz and traces of gospel melodies.
Oakland’s natives, California, broke into the music scene with their 1988 debut album, “who?” with songs like “Baby Doll” and “Little Walter”. But it was its 1990 New jack infused in swing The “feels good” record that gave the group the main success, reaching its maximum point in number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 list.
They launched two more study projects together, with party successes such as “Let’s get download”, with DJ quik and slow timeless jams that include “whatever you want”, “never rains (in southern California)”, “(he wears the head in me) Pillow” and “Anniversary”, a standard in the canon of romance of black music.
Blood relatives could not predict how their success would affect their relationship. The Tonyies separated after their fourth album, “House of Music” of 1996. Fame, finance, lack of communication and creative differences were unsustainable for the group.
Wiggins and Riley toured the group’s name between 1998 and 2018, with Amar Khalil assuming lead song tasks. Wiggins also produced and helped cultivate young artists who would become some of today’s brightest young stars, including Zedaya, HIS, KickAnd even The son of destiny.
Ultimately, through Saadiq’s efforts, the group made the peace and gathered for a tour in 2023. It was the first road trip with the three original members in almost 30 years.
Family members promised not to let external influences, such as managers, record executives and entertainment business, as a whole, separate them again, realizing that time, at least in the professional sense, is no longer a luxury.
In a 2023 interview with the AP, the Tonyies had planned a new project.
“We have a lot of material and now we just want to make sure to get the right energy through our music,” Wiggins said.
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Associated Press’s journalist Gary Gerard Hamilton contributed to this report.
