Mention guitarist Dwayne Wiggins' Oakland-San Francisco upbringing to him, and without hesitation he gives props to his musical forefathers -- including Sly Stone, Larry Graham, guitarist David "Dynamite" Vega of Graham Central Station and his father Charlie Ray Wiggins.

"We emulated all of them," said Mr. Wiggins, the leader of Tony! Toni! Tone'!, a funk band with a neo-soul flavor.

The group, which, in the mid-1990s was considered one of the premier soul groups, performs Friday at the Colonial Center at the University of South Carolina's campus in Columbia. Other performers include Bell Biv Devoe, Keith Sweat, Dru Hill and Sisqo.

Mr. Wiggins said in a phone conversation from his Oakland, Calif., home that he still plays a Gibson hollow-body guitar with a Stratocaster neck.

"It's a cross between Wes Montgomery and Jimi Hendrix," he said.

He also said that his younger brother, Raphael Wiggins, will rejoin the band for the tour in the summer.

Reach Timothy Cox at (706) 823-3217 or tim.cox@augustachronicle.com.