Patrice Rushen

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 is the elder of two daughters born to Allen and Ruth Rushen (former Director of the 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 from 2013 to 2023, and as 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 often sampled 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.
 

Awards

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”, 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