SAN FRANCISCO ( KRON ) – D’Wayne Wiggins, guitarist and founding member of Tony! Toni! Tone!, has died, according to a social media post from his family. The guitarist, who was a native of Oakland, California, had been battling bladder cancer.
“With broken hearts, we share with you that our beloved D’Wayne passed away this morning surrounded by family and loved ones,” the Wiggins Family wrote on Instagram. “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.”
Wiggins, 64, was a multi-talented guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer. He burst onto the scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s as one third of Tony! Toni! Tone!, a trio that injected the “new jack” swing of that era with elements of gospel and classic R&B.
From 1988 to 1996, the group placed no less than a dozen singles in the Billboard Top 10 R&B/hip-hop chart, according to AllMusic. Wiggins formed the group with his half-brother, Rapheal Saadiq and their cousin Timothy Christian Riley.
“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 wrote. “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.”…