D’Wayne Wiggins, a founding member of the Grammy-nominated group Tony! Toni! Tone! behind the classic 1990s songs Anniversary, It Never Rains (In Southern California) and (Lay Your Head on My) Pillow, has died aged 64.
Wiggins died on Friday morning after battling bladder cancer for the past year, according to a statement released by his family on social media.
“D’Wayne’s life was incomparable, and his music and service impacted millions around the world, including in his hometown of Oakland, California,” his family said.
“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.”
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 guitarist of the beloved R&B group, which included his brother Raphael Saadiq and their cousin Christian Riley. The group became mainstays of the New Jack Swing movement, blending R&B, jazz and traces of gospel melodies.
D’Wayne Wiggins, Raphael Saadiq and Timothy Christian Riley of Tony! Toni! Tone! (AP)
The Oakland, California, natives burst onto the music scene with their 1988 debut album Who? with songs like Baby Doll and Little Walter.
But it was their 1990 New Jack Swing-infused Feels Good record that gave the group mainstream success, peaking at number nine on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.
They released two more studio projects together, with party hits like Let’s Get Down, featuring DJ Quik, and timeless slow jams including Whatever You Want, It Never Rains (In Southern California), (Lay Your Head on My) Pillow and Anniversary, a standard in the black music romance canon.
Their It Never Rains version was a cover of the 1972 hit by British singer-songwriter Albert Hammond.
The blood relatives also could not predict how their success would affect their relationship. The Tonyies went their separate ways after their fourth album, 1996’s platinum-selling House of Music.
Fame, finances, miscommunication and creative differences were unsustainable for the group.
The band had announced they were looking at a new project in 2023 (Invision/AP, File)
Wiggins and Riley toured under the group’s name between 1998 and 2018, with Amar Khalil taking over lead singing duties.
Wiggins also produced and helped grow young artists who would become some of today’s brightest young stars, including Zendaya, H.E.R., Kehlani and even Destiny’s Child.
Ultimately, through Saadiq’s efforts, the group made amends and reunited for a tour in 2023. It was the first road trip featuring the three original members in nearly 30 years.
The family members vowed not to let outside influences like managers, record executives and the entertainment business as a whole drive them apart again, realising 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 got a lot of material, and now we just want to make sure that we put out the right energy through our music,” Wiggins said.