Patrice Rushen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patrice Rushen
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Rushen performing in 2010
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Patrice Marie Rushen |
| Born | September 30, 1954 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1963–present |
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Patrice Marie Rushen (born September 30, 1954) is an American jazz pianist, R&B singer, and songwriter. She is also a record producer, plays many instruments, and directs music.
In 1983, her song "Forget Me Nots" was nominated for a Grammy Award. Her instrumental song "Number One" also received a Grammy nomination. Both songs were from her album Straight from the Heart, released in 1982.
Since 2008, Patrice Rushen has been an ambassador for artistry in education at the Berklee College of Music. She has also led the popular music program at the USC Thornton School of Music since 2014.
Contents
About Patrice Rushen
Patrice Rushen is the older of two daughters born to Allen and Ruth Rushen. She started playing the piano when she was just three years old. By age six, she was already performing classical music concerts.
As a teenager, she went to Locke High School. Later, she earned a music degree from the University of Southern California.
When she was 17, Patrice won a competition. This allowed her band to perform at the Monterey Jazz Festival. After this, she signed with Prestige Records. She released three albums with them: Prelusion (1974), Before the Dawn (1975), and Shout It Out (1977). In 1978, at 23, she began recording with Elektra.
In 1986, Rushen married Marc St. Louis, who manages concert tours. They have a son named Cameron and a daughter named Jadyn. Her publishing company, Babyfingers Inc., is named after her nickname "Babyfingers" because of her small hands.
In 2005, Berklee College of Music gave her an honorary doctorate degree in Music. She is a leader in popular music at USC. She also serves as an ambassador for artistry in education at Berklee College of Music. Patrice has composed music for many movies, TV shows, and documentaries. She has been a member of the jazz fusion band CAB. She also played with The Meeting, a group that included Ndugu Chancler, Alphonso Johnson, and Ernie Watts. Rushen is also a music director. She has worked on various TV events and Janet Jackson's second concert tour, Janet World Tour.
Her Music's Influence
Patrice Rushen's songs are often used by other artists. For example, the main part of her song "Forget Me Nots" was used in the 1997 song "Men in Black". Patrice Rushen was given credit as a writer and composer for that song. The same part of "Forget Me Nots" can also be heard in George Michael's song "Fastlove".
"Forget Me Nots" was also featured in the 1988 movie Big during a trampolining scene. Her song "Haven't You Heard" was used in Kirk Franklin's "Looking For You" from the Norbit soundtrack. In 2021, "Forget Me Nots" became popular again in a dance challenge on TikTok.
Rushen was the first woman to be the music director for the 46th, 47th, and 48th Grammy Awards. She was also the only woman music director, conductor, and arranger for a late-night TV show called The Midnight Hour in 1990. She is a trained classical pianist and composer. Her piece Fanfare and Fantaisie has been recorded by the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra.
Awards and Honors
Grammy Awards
Patrice Rushen has been nominated for three Grammy Awards.
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Best R&B Instrumental Performance | "Number One" | Nominated |
| Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female | "Forget Me Nots" | Nominated | |
| 1998 | Best Contemporary Jazz Performance | "Signature" | Nominated |
Other Recognitions
- 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
Music Albums
Solo Albums
| Year | Title | Chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Pop |
US R&B |
US Jazz |
US Tra. Jazz |
AUS |
UK |
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| 1974 | Prelusion | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | Before the Dawn | — | 48 | 14 | — | — | — |
| 1977 | Shout It Out | 164 | — | 16 | — | — | — |
| 1978 | Patrice | 98 | 27 | 5 | — | — | — |
| 1979 | Pizzazz | 39 | 11 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 1980 | Posh | 71 | 23 | — | — | — | — |
| 1982 | Straight from the Heart | 14 | 4 | — | — | 74 | 24 |
| 1984 | Now | 40 | 7 | — | 7 | — | 73 |
| 1987 | Watch Out! | 77 | 19 | — | — | — | — |
| 1994 | Anything but Ordinary | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997 | Signature | — | — | 11 | — | — | — |
| 2000 | Jazz Straight Up | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | Standards | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "—" means the album did not appear on the chart | |||||||
Compilation Albums
| Year | Title | Chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Pop |
US R&B |
US Jazz |
AUS |
UK |
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| 1980 | Let There Be Funk: The Best of Patrice Rushen | — | — | 42 | — | — | |
| 1985 | Anthology of Patrice Rushen | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1996 | Forget Me Nots and Remind Me (Japan) | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Haven't You Heard – The Best of Patrice Rushen | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002 | The Essentials: Patrice Rushen (US) | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2003 | Forget Me Nots & Other Hits (US) | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2013 | Patrice + Pizzazz + Posh (UK) | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2013 | Straight from the Heart + Now (UK) | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2019 | Remind Me (The Classic Elektra Recordings 1978–1984) (UK) | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2022 | Feels So Real (The Complete Elektra Recordings 1978–1984) (UK) | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "—" means the album did not appear on the chart | |||||||
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Certifications | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 |
US R&B |
US Dance |
UK |
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| 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" | 42 | 7 | 5 | 62 | ||
| "Let the Music Take Me" | — | 50 | — | — | ||
| "Look Up" | 102 | 13 | 2 | — | ||
| "Don't Blame Me" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981 | "Never Gonna Give You Up (Won't Let You Be)" | — | 30 | 2 | 66 | |
| 1982 | "Forget Me Nots" | 23 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
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| "Breakout!" | — | 46 | — | — | ||
| "I Was Tired of Being Alone" | — | 79 | — | 39 | ||
| "Number One" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984 | "Get Off (You Fascinate Me)" | — | 26 | 40 | — | |
| "Feels So Real (Won't Let Go)" | 78 | 3 | 10 | 51 | ||
| 1987 | "Watch Out" | — | 9 | 22 | 78 | |
| "Anything Can Happen" | — | 51 | — | — | ||
| "Come Back to Me" | — | 65 | 37 | — | ||
| 1994 | "I Do" | — | — | — | — | |
| 2004 | "Forget Me Nots / Number One" | — | — | — | 90 | |
| "—" means the single did not appear on the chart | ||||||
Collaborations
Patrice Rushen has appeared on albums with other artists:
- With CAB: CAB 4 (2003)
- With Carlos Santana and Wayne Shorter: Live at the 1988 Montreux Jazz Festival (2007)
- With The Meeting: The Meeting (1990), Update (1995)
- With Kenny Burrell: Heritage (1980)
- With Herbie Hancock: Lite Me Up (1982)
- With Eddie Henderson: Heritage (1976), Comin' Through (1977)
- With Sadao Watanabe: Autumn Blow (1977)
- With Jean-Luc Ponty: Upon the Wings of Music (1975), Aurora (1976)
- With Letizia Gambi: Introducing Letizia Gambi (2012)
- With Wallace Roney: A Place in Time (2016)
- With Cindy Blackman: Another Lifetime (2010)
Film and TV Work
Patrice Rushen has worked on music for many films and TV shows. She has also appeared in some.
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Musical Directing Roles
Patrice Rushen has directed music for many TV shows and specials.
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 Produced
- No Strings by Sheena Easton (1993, record producer)
See also
In Spanish: Patrice Rushen para niños
