Patrice Rushen

Patrice Rushen
Patrice Rushen performing on March 2, 2010
Background information
Birth name	Patrice Louise Rushen
Born	(1954-09-30) September 30, 1954 Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres	Soul, R&B, jazz-funk, post-disco, urban, soft rock, new wave, pop
Occupations	Musician, composer, record producer, music director, educator
Instruments	Vocals, piano, keyboardist, flute, clarinet, percussion
Years active	1972–present
Labels	Prestige, Elektra, Arista, GRP, Aix Entertainment, Discovery
Associated acts	CAB
Website	Official website

Patrice Louise Rushen (born September 30, 1954) is an American composer, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, music director and vocalist. She is best known for the 1982 hit, "Forget Me Nots", for which she received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

Biography

Rushen is the elder of two daughters born to the late Allen Rushen and the former Ruth Harris. She demonstrated her musical potential at a young age; she was regarded as a child prodigy. 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 has many ground-breaking achievements. She became the first woman to serve as head composer/musical director for the Grammy Awards and the Emmy Awards, and the first woman to serve as musical director for the NAACP Image Awards' broadcast, an honor she held for twelve consecutive years. Additionally, Rushen has been the only woman to be a musical director/composer for the People's Choice Awards, HBO's Comic Relief and the only woman musical director/conductor/arranger for a late-night television talk show, The Midnight Hour.

In addition, Rushen was named musical director/composer for Newsweek's first American Achievement Awards, broadcast on CBS from the Kennedy Center and she served as the musical director for Janet Jackson's janet. World Tour.

In 2008, Rushen accepted a professorship at the Berklee College of Music, in Boston. The course is "Patrice Rushen: The Value of Music Education."

She also continues to play keyboards and has played in the touring bands of Lee Ritenour and Wayne Shorter in recent years.

Solo career

Rushen has also achieved great success as a singer. A classically trained pianist, Rushen has spent a great deal of time channeling her skills musically. Winning a competition at the 1972 Monterey Jazz Festival gained Rushen national attention, which earned her a recording contract with Prestige Records in 1973.

After recording three albums and becoming an in-demand session player, with artists that included Jean-Luc Ponty, Rushen signed with Elektra Records in 1977. Forging jazz/R&B/funk fusion, her signature sound from the melding of these styles gave her success with a string of Top Ten R&B hits, including "Haven't You Heard," "Forget Me Nots," "Feels So Real," "Watch Out," "You Remind Me," and "Never Gonna Give You Up" from her first five solo albums (Patrice, Pizzazz, Posh, Straight From the Heart, and Now). Rushen guested on Soul Train, where she performed her single "I Need Your Love" in 1981. She also penned the opening theme for The Steve Harvey Show. Her mentor and friend is Quincy Jones. Rushen also plays multiple instruments including the flute, clarinet and various kinds of percussion.

Discography

With Lalo Schifrin

• No One Home (Tabu, 1979)

Samples and covers

• Her 1982 hit song "Forget Me Nots" has been sampled several times. The most notable has been its inclusion as the driving musical element in Will Smith's "Men In Black", the theme to the 1997 film of the same name. The song won a Grammy Award, which co-writers Freddie Washington and Terry McFaddin also shared. Also in 1996, "Forget Me Nots" was featured prominently in the bridge of George Michael's #1 hit "Fastlove."

• The 1998 hit "Strawberries" by female rapper Smooth samples "Where There Is Love" from Rushen's 1982 album Straight From The Heart.

• "Haven't You Heard" was sampled prominently into gospel artist Kirk Franklin's 2005 hit "Looking For You," with gospel lyrics written by Franklin. The song was also interpolated into Zhane's early 1990s hit "Groove Thang." It was also prominently featured in House track "I feel good things for you" by Daddies favourite.

• Musiq Soulchild covered Rushen's "Settle For My Love", as a duet with sibling group Aaries on 2000 debut album Aijuswanaseing.

• "Remind Me" from her 1982 album, Straight from the Heart, was sampled by 9th Wonder on the remix of "The Cross", from the 9th Wonder remix album, God's Stepson.

• On her 1995 debut album Faith (Faith Evans album), singer-songwriter Faith Evans used a sample from "Remind Me" on the song "Fallin' In Love".

• The 1995 single "Temperature's Rising" from Mobb Deep sampled "Where There Is Love".

• In 1994 Long Beach rapper Lil' ½ Dead released the album The Dead Has Arisen. Track #2 "12 Pacofdoja" contained a sample of "Where There Is Love", modified into the G-Funk style of the era.

• Danny! sampled "When I Found You" on Danny Is Dead 's "Press Conference", "The Dream" on "Lucky Me" from Dream, Extinguished, and "Yolon" from Dream, Fulfilled 's "Le Pamplemousse". The producer/rapper would later compile the unreleased Rushen Roulette, an instrumental album utilizing only Patrice Rushen samples, as homage to Rushen.

• On their final album Nuttin' But Love in 1994, Heavy D & The Boyz sampled "You Remind Me" on their song "Take Your Time".

• In 1992, R. Kelly featuring group Public Announcement used a sample of "Remind Me" for the song "Born into the 90's" from Kelly's debut collaboration album of the same name.

• Producer Clark Kent uses a sample of "Remind Me" for the Junior M.A.F.I.A. song "I Need You Tonight" featuring Aaliyah.

• Sacramento rapper Brotha Lynch Hung sampled "Remind Me" on his 1992 ep 24 Deep, for the track "Walkin 2 My Funeral".

• The gangsta rap group RBL Posse also sampled "Remind Me" on their 1992 album, A Lesson to Be Learned, on their track also titled "Remind Me".

• Intelligent Hoodlum sampled "Remind Me" on his 1993 single "Grand Groove."

• Rapper Skee-Lo sampled "Remind Me" on his song "Top Of The Stairs".

• R&B singer Keith Sweat's discovery group, Kut Klose used a sample "Remind Me" on their song "Keep On" on their 1995 debut album, Surrender.

• Rapper Shyheim sampled "Settle for my Love" on his song Shaolin Style feat. Method Man

• Swedish DJ Eric Prydz and Australian producer Daniel R Muller released his single Pjanoo in 2008, which contains a piano riff inspired by Rushen's "I Was Tired Of Being Alone"

• Mary J. Blige's "You Remind Me" contains excerpts of Rushen's "Remind Me."

• SWV's "I'm So Into You" contains excerpts of Rushen's "Remind Me."

• R&B duo Trina & Tamara, sisters of R&B singer Jesse Powell, who is best known for his hit, "You" covered the song from their 1999 self-titled album.

• Brandy's remix "Sittin' Up in My Room" has been sampled "Haven't You Heard" featuring rapper LL Cool J in 1995.

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
		U.S. Hot 100	U.S. R&B/Hip-Hop	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)

References

• Hogan, Ed. "Patrice Rushen". VH1. Retrieved 2007-05-09. 

External links

• Audio interview with Patrice Rushen on the Sodajerker on Songwriting podcast
• Patrice Rushen at Allmusic
• Patrice Rushen discography at Discogs
• Patrice Rushen at the Internet Movie Database
• Patrice Rushen 2012 Audio Interview at Soulinterviews.com