Patrice Rushen

Biography

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×Forget Me Nots1982 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracksAForget Me Nots (Special dance mix)7:11B1Haven't You Heard6:44B2Never Gonna Give You Up (Won't Let You Be)6:50", received a nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, while her instrumental song, "Number One×Number One1984 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksANumber One (instrumental)6:44BRemind Me5:15" was nominated Best R&B Instrumental; both songs were from her seventh studio album, Straight from the Heart×Straight From the Heart2 April 1982 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1Forget Me Nots4:42A2I Was Tired of Being Alone3:49A3All We Need5:50A4Number One (instrumental)4:55B1Where There Is Love3:07B2Breakout!4:04B3If Only3:19B4Remind Me5:15B5(She Will) Take You Down to Love4:20 (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×Prelusion1974 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracksA1Shortie's Portion8:46A27/7312:35B1Haw Right Now8:05B2Traverse10:56B3Puttered Bopcorn4:17 (1974), Before the Dawn×Before the Dawn1975 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracksA1Kickin' Back7:39A2What's The Story5:21A3Jubilation6:00B1Before The Dawn8:22B2Razzia9:43 (1975), and Shout It Out×Shout It Out1977 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1The Hump6:01A2Shout It Out6:11A3Stepping Stones4:57A4Let Your Heart Be Free3:54B1Roll With the Punches6:14B2Let There Be Funk4:08B3Yolon4:34B4Sojourn4:40 (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×Forget Me Nots1982 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracksAForget Me Nots (Special dance mix)7:11B1Haven't You Heard6:44B2Never Gonna Give You Up (Won't Let You Be)6:50" 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×Haven't You Heard2021 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAHaven't You Heard (Fitzy's Fully Charged Mix)BHaven't You Heard (Butch Remix)" 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.

Grammy awards

Rushen has received three Grammy nominations.

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×Signature15 July 1997 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Almost Home4:262Days Gone By5:043Sweetest Taboo5:214Sneaky Pete4:125Softly6:116Hurry Up This Way Again6:037L'Esprit De Joie (The Spirit of Joy)4:408Wise Ol' Souls4:319Oneness5:0010Arrival4:34”, 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

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)

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 Hour (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)