Wayman Tisdale (1964-2009) first became famous as a college basketball player at the University of Oklahoma, where he was a three-time All-American first-teamer. His pro career spanned 12 years with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, and Phoenix Suns.

While still playing, he released his first album as a smooth jazz bass guitarist. His prolific career ended suddenly with his death from a ruptured esophagus, the result of treatments for bone cancer.