Introduction

Some songs make you tap your feet. Others get stuck in your head for days.
And then there are songs like this one — the kind that sit quietly beside you, stay a moment, and gently hold your heart.

“Cryin’ for Me (Wayman’s Song)” is more than a tribute. It is an intimate, deeply personal goodbye.

Written after the passing of Toby Keith’s close friend Wayman Tisdale — the former NBA star who later became a celebrated jazz musician — the song feels like a private letter meant for one person. It’s soft, sincere, and full of emotion. There’s no anger or regret woven into the lyrics, only affection, sorrow, and the ache of losing someone who lived fully but left far too soon.

The words feel natural and unfiltered, almost as if Toby is speaking directly to Wayman himself:

“I’m not cryin’ ‘cause I feel so sorry for you. I’m cryin’ for me.”

What elevates the song even further is the music surrounding it. Marcus Miller’s warm, steady bass and Dave Koz’s soulful saxophone wrap around Toby’s voice like a cherished memory. The blend of country and jazz doesn’t just complement the story — it honors Wayman, a man who effortlessly crossed musical worlds in his own life.

If you’ve ever loved someone who lit up every room they walked into, this song will find you quickly. It doesn’t demand attention. It simply sits with its grief, acknowledges it, and lets it breathe.

It reminds us that sometimes the most heartfelt “I love you” is simply, “I miss you.”

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