Patrice Louise Rushen (born September 30, 1954) is an American jazz pianist, R&B singer, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and music director.

At the 25th Annual Grammy Awards, her 1982 single, "Forget Me Nots", received a nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, while her instrumental song, "Number One" was nominated Best R&B Instrumental; both songs were from her seventh studio album, Straight from the Heart (1982).

Since 2008, Rushen has served as an ambassador for artistry in education at the Berklee College of Music, and the chair of the popular music program at the USC Thornton School of Music from 2014 to 2024.

Biography Rushen, who is of African American heritage, is the elder of two daughters born to Allen and Ruth Rushen (former Director of California Department of Corrections). Patrice was three years old when she began playing the piano, and by the time she was six, she was giving classical recitals. In her teens, she attended Locke High School and later earned a degree in music from the University of Southern California.

After winning a competition at the age of 17 that enabled her to perform with her band at the Monterey Jazz Festival, Rushen signed with the Prestige label, releasing three albums with them – Prelusion (1974), Before the Dawn (1975), and Shout It Out (1977). In 1978, when she was 23, she began recording with Elektra.

Rushen married Marc St. Louis, a concert tour manager and live show production specialist, in 1986. They have one son, Cameron and one daughter named Jadyn. The name of her publishing company, Baby fingers Inc., is pulled from her nickname Babyfingers for her tiny hands. In 2005, Rushen received an honorary doctorate of Music degree from Berklee College of Music. She served as chair of popular music at USC 2013-2023, and the ambassador of Artistry in Education at the Berklee College of Music. She has served as the film composer for numerous movies, television shows and documentaries. She has been a member of jazz fusion band CAB, The Meeting (GRP Records) with Ndugu Chancler, Alphonso Johnson and Ernie Watts. Rushen is also a music director, having worked on various television events as well as Janet Jackson's second concert tour Janet World Tour.

Cultural impact Rushen's songs are sampled often in other artists' music. The chorus from "Forget Me Nots" was used as the music for the 1997 song "Men in Black". Rushen was credited as writer and composer, along with Will Smith and Terri McFadden. The same chorus can be heard in George Michael's song "Fastlove". "Forget Me Nots" previously found its way into the trampolining scene in the 1988 film Big. Her song "Haven't You Heard" was sampled in Kirk Franklin's "Looking For You" from the Norbit soundtrack. In 2021, "Forget Me Nots" was used in a dance challenge on TikTok.

Rushen was the first woman to serve as music director for the 46th, 47th, and 48th Grammy Awards. She was the only woman music director/conductor/arranger for a late-night show titled The Midnight Hour, which aired on CBS in 1990. She is a classically trained pianist and composer: her Fanfare and Fantaisie has been recorded by the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Sewell.Convergence, Albany Records TROY2002 (2025)

Awards Grammy awards Rushen has received three Grammy nominations.

Year Category Nominated work Result1983Best R&B Instrumental Performance"Number One"Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female"Forget Me Nots"1998Best Contemporary Jazz Performance"Signature"

Other awards Number One Record "Feels So Real", Radio & Records (R&R) National Chart - Writers: Patrice Rushen & Fred Washington, 1984 ASCAP Songwriter's Award, 1988 USC Black Student Assembly, Legacy of Excellence Award, 1992 Crystal Award, American Women in Film, 1994 ASCAP Award, Most Performed Song in Motion Pictures for 1997 for "Men in Black," 1998 NAACP Image Award Nomination for Best Contemporary Jazz Recording for “Signature”, 1998 Honorary Doctorate Berklee College of Music, 2005 The California Jazz Foundation NICA award for lifetime achievement, 2019 The Ramo Music Faculty Award, 2020 Trailblazer Award, Salute Them Awards, 2021 Hamilton Garrett Center for Music and Arts (Boston, MA), Make Them Hear You Award, 2023 Black Music Honors Lifetime Achievement Awards,2023 Roland Lifetime Achievement Award,2025 LA Jazz Society Composer/Arranger Award,2025 NEA Jazz Master, 2026

Discography Solo albums +Overview of Patrice Rushen studio albums Year Title Chart positionsUS PopUS R&BUS JazzUS Tra. JazzAUSUK1974Prelusion——————1975Before the Dawn—4814———1977Shout It Out164—16———1978Patrice98275———1979Pizzazz39112———1980Posh7123————1982Straight from the Heart144——74241984Now407—7—731987Watch Out!7719————1994Anything but Ordinary——————1997Signature——11———2000Jazz Straight Up——————2006Standards—————— "—" denotes the album failed to chart

Compilations and collections +Overview of Patrice Rushen compilations Year Title Chart positionsUS Jazz1980Let There Be Funk: The Best of Patrice Rushen421985Anthology of Patrice Rushen—1996Forget Me Nots and Remind Me (Japan)—Haven't You Heard – The Best of Patrice Rushen—2002The Essentials: Patrice Rushen (US)—2003Forget Me Nots & Other Hits (US)—2013Patrice + Pizzazz + Posh (UK)—2013Straight from the Heart + Now (UK)—2019Remind Me (The Classic Elektra Recordings 1978–1984) (UK)—2022Feels So Real (The Complete Elektra Recordings 1978–1984) (UK)— "—" denotes the album failed to chart

Singles +List of singles, with selected peak chart positions and certifications Year Title Chart positions CertificationsUS Hot 100US R&BUS DanceUK 1975"Kickin' Back"———— 1977"Let Your Heart Be Free"————"The Hump"———— 1978"Changes in Your Life"———— 1979"Hang It Up"—16——"When I Found You"—87—— 1980"Givin' It Up Is Givin' Up"————"Haven't You Heard"427562"Let the Music Take Me"—50——"Look Up"102132—"Don't Blame Me"———— 1981"Never Gonna Give You Up (Won't Let You Be)"—30266 1982"Forget Me Nots"23428 BPI: Silver"Breakout!"—46——"I Was Tired of Being Alone"—79—39"Number One"———— 1984"Get Off (You Fascinate Me)"—2640—"Feels So Real (Won't Let Go)"7831051 1987"Watch Out"—92278"Anything Can Happen"—51——"Come Back to Me"—6537— 1994"I Do"———— 2004"Forget Me Nots / Number One"———90 "—" denotes the single failed to chart

Appearances With Mike Clark Mike Clark (Blueprints of Jazz Vol1, 2008) With CAB CAB 4 (Favored Nations, 2003) With Carlos Santana and Wayne Shorter Live at the 1988 Montreux Jazz Festival (Liberation Entertainment, 2007) With The Meeting The Meeting (GRP, 1990) Update (Hip-Bop, 1995) With Kenny Burrell Heritage (AudioSource, 1980) With Herbie Hancock Lite Me Up (Columbia, 1982) With Eddie Henderson Heritage (Blue Note, 1976) Comin' Through (Capitol, 1977) With Alphonso Johnson Yesterday's Dreams (Epic Records, 1976) With Sadao Watanabe Autumn Blow (Inner City Records, 1977) With Jean-Luc Ponty Upon the Wings of Music (Atlantic, 1975) Aurora (Atlantic, 1976) With Letizia Gambi Introducing Letizia Gambi (Via Veneto Jazz, 2012) With Wallace Roney A Place in Time (HighNote, 2016) With Cindy Blackman Another Lifetime (4Q, 2010) With Masayoshi Takanaka

An Insatiable High (Kitty, 1977)

Filmography

American Fiction (2023) Agents of Change (2016) Burning Sands (2008) For One Night (2006, TV) Just a Dream (2002) Our America (2002, TV) Baby of the Family (2002) Piano, Bass and Drums (2002 Aix Entertainment, DVD Audio) The Killing Yard (2001, TV) Fire & Ice (2001, TV) Cora Unashamed (2000, TV) Ruby Bridges (1998, TV) America's Dream (1996, TV) A. Philip Randolph: For Jobs and Freedom (1996, TV) The Steve Harvey Show (1996) TV series (Main Theme & 122 episodes) The Midnight Hour (1990) TV series (unknown episodes) Without You I'm Nothing (1990)

Hollywood Shuffle (1987) George Michael: I'm Your Man – A South Bank Show Special (2006, TV, writer: "Fastlove") Fahrenheit (2005, performer: "Hang It Up") Men in Black (1997, writer: "Men In Black") Waiting to Exhale (1995, performer: "And I Gave My Love to You") Big (1988, writer/performer: "Forget Me Nots") Dominick and Eugene (1988, performer: "Somewhere") TV in Black: The First Fifty Years (2004) Herself VH-1 Where Are They Now? Herself (One episode, 2002) 100 Greatest Dance Songs of Rock & Roll (2000), TV series, Herself Monterey Jazz Festival: 40 Legendary Years (1998), Herself The Best of Robert Townsend & His Partners in Crime (1991) Herself Top of the Pops, Herself (One episode, 1982) Soul Train, Herself (One episode, 1981) American Bandstand, Herself (One episode, 1980)

Musical directing Television awards and specials The 48th Annual Grammy Awards (2006, musical director) The 47th Annual Grammy Awards (2005, musical director) The 46th Annual Grammy Awards (2004, musical director) The 10th Annual Walk of Fame Honoring Smokey Robinson (2004, musical director) The 9th Annual Walk of Fame Honoring Aretha Franklin (2003, musical director) The 8th Annual Walk of Fame Honoring Stevie Wonder (2002, musical director) People's Choice Awards (1993, musical director) The Best of Robert Townsend & His Partners in Crime (1991, musical director)

Television series and miniseries The Midnight HourFor unknown episodes. (1990) The Women of Brewster Place (1989, special musical consultant) Partners in Crime (1988, musical director)

Albums No Strings by Sheena Easton (1993, record producer)

Notes

References

Sources

External links

Patrice Rushen 2012 Audio Interview at Soulinterviews.com Patrice Rushen Interview at NAMM Oral History Collection