D'Wayne Wiggins' musical influence stretches far-beyond Bay Area

OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland lost a musical giant with the passing of D’Wayne Wiggins. While his legacy is stamped in the city’s history of greats, the guitarist’s influence fanned far beyond the Bay Area.

Classic jams

What we know:

Wiggins, a founding member of Tony! Toni! Toné! — known for classic 1990s jams such as Anniversary, It Never Rains (In Southern California) and (Lay Your Head on My) Pillow—worked with artists who would go on to become some of today’s brightest stars.

"D'Wayne's life was incomparable, and his music and service impacted millions around the world, including in his hometown of Oakland, California," the Wiggins family wrote. " He was deeply passionate about providing artist development and mentorship to emerging young musicians, helping to shape the early careers of many, including Beyoncé, Destiny’s Child, Zendaya, Kehlani, H.E.R, Keyshia Cole and Alicia Keys. He created musical sanctuaries for established and emerging artists to cultivate their talents in studio and stage spaces where all night jam sessions were legendary."

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.

The group 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 No. 9 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."

The blood relatives also couldn’t predict how their success would affect their relationship. The group 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.

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.

Big picture view:

Outside of the group, Wiggins played a key role in the early careers of Keyshia Cole and Destiny’s Child, producing several tracks for the girl group. Wiggins also appeared on Alicia Keys' 2003 song "Diary." Wiggins lent his vocals on "How Does It Feel" for fellow Oakland native Too Short and Mac Mall's song "Dope Game."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.