Patrice Rushen

Patrice Louise Rushen (born September 30, 1954) is an American composer, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, music director and vocalist. Her 1982 single, "Forget Me Nots", received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Rushen had great success on the R&B and dance charts, but "Forget Me Nots" was the only one to crack the Top 40 pop charts.

Biography

Rushen is the elder of two daughters born to Allen and Ruth Rushen. In her teens, she attended south LA's Locke High and went on to earn a degree in music from the University of Southern California.. Rushen married Marc St. Louis, a concert tour manager and live show production specialist, in 1986. They have one son Cameron.   Her nickname is "Babyfingers" due to her 4-10 height.

Awards

1. ASCAP Songwriter's Award, 1988
2. USC Black Student Assembly, Legacy of Excellence Award, 1992
3. Crystal Award, American Women in Film, 1994
4. ASCAP Award, Most Performed Song in Motion Pictures for 1997 for "Men in Black," 1998

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	Billboard 200 (Pop Albums)	Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Black Albums)	Top Jazz Albums (Jazz Albums)	Top Contemp. Jazz
1974	Prelusion
1975	Before the Dawn		48	14
1976	Shout It Out	164		16
	Let There Be Funk: The Best Of Patrice Rushen			42
1978	Patrice	98	27	5
1979	Pizzazz	39	11	2
1980	Posh	71	23
1982	Straight from the Heart	14	4
1984	Now	40	7	7
1985	Anthology of Patrice Rushen
1987	Watch Out!	77	19		17
1990	The Meeting			17
1994	Anything but Ordinary
1996	Haven't You Heard - The Best of Patrice Rushen
1997	Signature				9
2002	The Essentials: Patrice Rushen

Singles

Year	Title	Chart Positions
		[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Hot_100 U.S. Hot 100]	[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_R%26B/Hip-Hop_Songs U.S. R&B/Hip-Hop]	[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Dance_Club_Play U.S. Dance]	UK Singles Chart
1979	"Hang It Up"	-	16	-	-
	"When I Found You"	-	87	-	-
1980	"Givin' It Up Is Givin' Up"	-	47	-	-
	"Haven't You Heard"	42	7	5	62
	"Let the Music Take Me"	-	50	-	-
	"Look Up"	102	13	2	-
1981	"Never Gonna Give You Up (Won't Let You Be)"	-	-	2	66
1982	"Forget Me Nots"	23	4	2	8
	"Breakout!"	-	46	-	-
	"I Was Tired of Being Alone"	-	79	-	39
1984	"Get Off (You Fascinate Me)"	-	26	40	-
	"Feels So Real (Won't Let Go)"	78	2	10	51
1987	"Watch Out"	-	9	22	-
	"Anything Can Happen"	-	51	-	-
1988	"Come Back to Me"	-	65	37	-
	"Watch Out"	-	9	-	-

Filmography

• Burning Sands (2008) (pre-production)
• 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 (unknown 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) (VG) (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) (V) Herself
• VH-1 Where Are They Now? Herself (One episode, 2002)
• 100 Greatest Dance Songs of Rock & Roll (2000) (mini) TV Series Herself
• Monterey Jazz Festival: 40 Legendary Years (1998) (V) Herself (hostess)
• The Best of Robert Townsend & His Partners in Crime (1991) (TV) Herself
• Top of the Pops Herself (One episode, 1982)
• Soul Train Herself (One episode, 1981)

Musical directing

• The 48th Annual Grammy Awards (2006) (TV) (musical director)
• The 47th Annual Grammy Awards (2005) (TV) (musical director)
• The 10th Annual Walk of Fame Honoring Smokey Robinson (2004) (TV) (musical director)
• The 46th Annual Grammy Awards (2004) (TV) (musical director)
• The 9th Annual Walk of Fame Honoring Aretha Franklin (2003) (TV) (musical director)
• The 8th Annual Walk of Fame Honoring Stevie Wonder (2002) (TV) (musical director)
• The Best of Robert Townsend & His Partners in Crime (1991) (TV) (musical director)
• "No Strings" by "Sheena Easton"- Rushen as record producer. (1993)
• The Women of Brewster Place (1989) (TV) (special musical consultant)
• The Midnight Hour (1990) TV Series Herself (Musical Director) (unknown episodes, 1990)
• Robert Townsend's HBO variety show series: "Partners in Crime" (1988) (TV) (musical director)