Wayman Tisdale Remembered in His Hometown
In his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Wayman Tisdale was remembered last Thursday as both a basketball star and as a gifted Smooth Jazz musician who led a “blessed life.”
The casket of the former Oklahoma All-American was carried by horse-drawn carriage to a downtown arena for the public memorial. There was live jazz music, clapping and shouting in honor Tisdale, who died on May 15th after a long battle with cancer. He was just 44.
“Wayman lived a blessed life,” said Billy Tubbs, Tisdale’s former Sooners coach. “He did more in his 44 years than most people can do in 88 years.”
Tisdale played 12 seasons in the NBA for the Indiana Pacers, the Sacramento Kings and the Phoenix Suns. Former NBA players Charles Smith, Rory Sparrow and John Starks paid tribute Thursday.
“He, in my opinion, was the first athlete to really put Tulsa on the map,” said Starks, also from Tulsa. “Wayman was a person I looked up to.”
Tisdale recorded eight albums. A bass guitarist who often wrote his own material, his most recent album, “Rebound,” was inspired by his fight with cancer and included guest appearances by several artists, including saxophonist Dave Koz and Country music star and fellow Oklahoman Toby Keith.
His “Way Up!” release debuted in July 2006 and spent four weeks as the No. 1 contemporary jazz album. His hits included “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now,” “Can’t Hide Love” and “Don’t Take Your Love Away.”
Toby Keith played the Willie Nelson tune, “Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground.” He said he had written a song about Tisdale, but that he wouldn’t be performing it given the emotion of the day.
“We had so many big plans,” Keith told mourners. “Every time I tried to say goodbye to him, he never let me.”