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," a reference to her small hands. In 2005, Rushen received an Honorary Doctorate of Music degree from Berklee College of Music. She has been a member of jazz fusion band CAB.

Her song "Hang it Up" was featured on the 2005 video game Fahrenheit.

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

Solo Albums

Year	Album
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
1994	Anything but Ordinary
1996	Haven't You Heard - The Best of Patrice Rushen
1996	Forget Me Nots and Remind Me
1997	Signature				9
2002	The Essentials: Patrice Rushen

Singles

Year	Title	Chart Positions
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"	-	47	-	-
	"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)"	-	-	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
	"Number One"	-	-	-	-
1987	"Watch Out"	-	9	22	-
	"Anything Can Happen"	-	51	-	-
1988	"Come Back to Me"	-	65	37	-
1994	"I Do"	-	-	-	-
2004	"Forget Me Nots / Number One"	-	-	-	90

With The Meeting

• The Meeting (GRP, 1990)
• Update (Hip-Bop, 1995)

With Eddie Henderson

• Comin' Through (Capitol, 1977)

With Jean-Luc Ponty

• Aurora (Atlantic, 1976)

Filmography

Burning Sands (2008) 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) American Bandstand Herself (One episode, 1980)

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)

[ Source: Wikipedia ]