Tony! Toni! Toné! revolutionized the R&B scene of the 1980s and ’90s by seamlessly blending traditional gospel and classic R&B with new jack swing elements. Their music embodied a perfect fusion of vintage and modern recording techniques, incorporating live string sections and looped breakbeats to create timeless ballads and groovy dancefloor hits. The trio dominated the charts from 1988 to 1996, with multiple singles reaching the Top Ten of Billboard’s R&B/hip-hop chart, including hits like ‘Feels Good,’ ‘If I Had No Loot,’ and the Grammy-nominated ‘Anniversary.’ Their studio albums, ‘Who?’ (1988), ‘The Revival’ (1990), ‘Sons of Soul’ (1993), and ‘House of Music’ (1996), all achieved gold, platinum, or multi-platinum RIAA certifications.
Formed in Oakland in 1986, Tony! Toni! Toné! consisted of half-brothers Dwayne and Raphael Wiggins along with their cousin, Timothy Christian Riley. Starting with their debut single ‘One Night Stand,’ the group quickly made their mark in the music industry, signing with Polygram subsidiary Wing. With hits like ‘Little Walter,’ ‘Feels Good,’ and ‘It Never Rains (In Southern California),’ the Tonies’ albums garnered critical acclaim and commercial success. Despite pursuing individual projects, the band continued to create music together, producing their final album ‘House of Music’ in 1996, featuring chart-toppers like ‘Let’s Get Down.’ Post-disbandment, the members, particularly Raphael Saadiq, Dwayne Wiggins, and Timothy Riley, pursued successful solo careers and collaborations with other renowned artists.