Oakland, CA

Brothers Dwayne and Raphael Wiggins and cousin Timothy Christian have proven themselves durable guardians of the soul and funk tradition, while also infusing their music with enough contemporary devices to remain popular. This Oakland trio scored a number one R&B hit right out of the box in 1988 with "Little Walter," a song that generated some criticism from gospel audiences for its use of the melody from "Wade in the Water." But they've since been able to keep things going on their own, as their LPs, The Revival in 1990 and Sons of Soul in 1993, have also been enormously successful. Tony! Toni! Toné! released their fourth album, House of Music, in the fall of 1996. ~ Ron Wynn