The Wayman Tisdale Story coming to DVD in November

You can never give up because quitting is not an option. No matter how dark it is or how weak you get, until you take that last breath, you must fight.” ~ Wayman Tisdale (1964-2009)

Embodying his life’s approach of compassion, courage, and optimism, The Wayman Tisdale Story is a feature length documentary that offers a detailed account of the life of former basketball star and jazz musician Wayman Tisdale. Told through his own words, The Wayman Tisdale Story journeys through Tisdale’s life from this childhood as a preacher’s son to his battle with cancer. A story of human courage in the face of adversity, the documentary will air on ESPN and NBA TV this fall, with the DVD and CD/DVD release to follow on November 22 from Rendezvous Music/Mack Avenue. Here is the trailer:

“The Wayman Tisdale Story” Documentary (Coming Soon) from Brian Schodorf on Vimeo.

Rendezvous Music compliments the telling of Wayman’s story with a soundtrack featuring 13 tracks, including the previously unreleased track, “Slam Dunk,” produced by Jeff Lorber, and “Cryin’ For Me,” which was written and performed as a tribute to Wayman by Toby Keith. Full track list below.

While attending Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Tisdale became one of the most highly touted high school basketball players in the country. After high school he played basketball at The University of Oklahoma, where he became the first player in college basketball history to become a first team All-American in his freshman, sophomore, and junior seasons. After winning the gold medal in the 1984 Olympic games, Tisdale decided to forgo his senior season at Oklahoma and entered the 1985 NBA draft. Over the next 12 years, Tisdale became an NBA star while playing for the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, and Phoenix Suns.

A self-taught musician, Tisdale began playing the bass guitar during his father’s Sunday services. “He just always had a strong musical side and it was very important to him,” Michael Jordan explains in the documentary. As his basketball career was ending, he turned his focus to his self-described ‘first love’ with the release of his debut jazz album, Power Forward, which climbed to number four on the Billboard’s Contemporary jazz charts. In his short musical career, he released nine eclectic jazz albums—Power Forward (1995), In The Zone (1996), Decisions (1998), Face To Face (2001), Presents 21 Days (2003), Hang Time (2004), Way Up! (2006), and Rebound (2008), The Fonk Record (2010)—four of which hit #1 on the jazz charts.

In 2007 Tisdale began a two-year battle with bone cancer, including chemotherapy and the amputation of part of his right leg. Presented with a debilitating condition, Tisdale used his faith, music, and positive outlook on life to help others through the Wayman Tisdale Foundation, established to assist individuals in need of prosthetic limbs who could not afford them. Wayman Tisdale passed away May 15, 2009 at the age of 44.

Featured at multiple film festivals throughout 2010, the documentary garnered Best Documentary accolades from the Park City Film and Music Festival and International Christian Film Festival, Best Sports Documentary from the Los Angeles Sports Film Festival, Audience Choice Award Runner-up at the Pan African Film Festival and the 2010 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Award.
 
The Wayman Tisdale Story
Track list:
 
1.     Tell It Like It TIS (featuring George Duke) from Way Up

2.     The Introduction from The Fonk Record

3.     Rebound (featuring Dave Koz) from Rebound

4.     It’s Alright from 21

5.     Ready To Hang from Hang Time

6.     Let’s Ride (featuring George Duke) from The Fonk Record

7.     One On One from Rebound

8.     Gabrielle from Power Forward

9.     Way Up from Way Up

10.  Slam Dunk* previously unreleased

11.  Everything In You from Hang Time

12.  Glory Glory from Hang Time

13.  Cryin’ For Me [Wayman’s Song] (performed by Toby Keith) from American Ride

*previously unreleased – produced by Jeff Lorber

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