Wayman Tisdale To Be Inducted Into Oklahoma Music Hall Of Fame

Several of Oklahoma's Own will be inducted into the Oklahoma music hall of Fame Thursday night in Muskogee.

Wayman Tisdale is among this year's inductees. He touched a lot of lives with the way he lived his life, his success on the basketball court, and through his music.

Over the years, The Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame has inducted a lot of big names. This year, one inductee is a big man, with a giant smile, and an even bigger heart: Wayman Tisdale.

"I love this because music was his passion," said Regina Tisdale, Wayman's wife.

Many people know about Wayman Tisdale's passion as a basketball player: an all American, an Olympic gold medalist, a 12 year NBA career. But his wife of 24 years, Regina says music was always his first love.

"If there was a jam session, oh he was going to be a part of it," she said.

As his basketball career began winding down, Regina says Wayman's music career started taking off. The smooth jazz bass guitarist began playing shows, sometimes after his NBA games.

"I mean he was like a little kid, we'd leave the game, run to one of these different venues downtown in Sacramento, and sit in with the band and I'm telling you, he had the crazy huge smile, but he would be ear to ear, he loved it," Regina said.

Wayman Tisdale would go on to release nine cd's, and played with some of the industry's best.

"When I think of Wayman's music accomplishments, I think about here's a guy that did not have one music lesson, not one. Couldn't read music if you paid him to read music," Regina said.

Tisdale smiled through his treatments for cancer in his knee and through the amputation of his leg and music was a constant up until his death in 2009.

"We laughed so much. And I so miss that," Regina said.

There is so much Regina Tisdale and her family miss about Wayman. They're proud of his life, his humble, loving ways, his success and his music.

His induction into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame is very exciting, and something they say would make Wayman shine that giant smile even wider.

"I think it's incredible. He'd be so, so, so excited," she said.

The induction ceremony is Thursday night at 7 p.m. at the Muskogee Civic Center. I'm very honored to be the emcee again this year. It's always a great event.

10/29/2011 Related Story: 'The Wayman Tisdale Story' Premieres At Tulsa Holland Hall