Patrice Rushen - Forget Me Nots

Patrice Rushen was part of the cool jazz scene of the early 1980s with artists such as George Benson and Al Jarreau.  As was the case with many R&B artists, Rushen began her career as a traditional jazz artist (piano and vocals) and transitioned to R&B in the late 1970s.  She actually had a fair amount of success on the R&B charts, with 8 singles that broke the top 40, but mainstream success was more elusive.

"Forget Me Nots" was off Rushen's seventh studio album, 1982's Straight from the Heart.  This record was her biggest commercial success, reaching #14 on the charts, led by "Forget Me Nots," which hit #23 on the singles chart.  By the by, Rushon co-wrote the song (with Teri McFadden and Freddie Washington) and co-produced the LP (with Charles Mims).

While Rushen did not have another big hit, she had continued success on the R&B charts throughout the 1980s.  She has sporadically released albums since then, and also transitioned to become a renowned music director.  In addition to working with Janet Jackson, Rushen also became the first female musical director of the Grammy Awards.  She remains active in the industry as of this writing.

Cool trivia fact:  Patrice Rushen is a one hit wonder, as only "Forget Me Nots" broke the top 40.

Cool trivia fact #2:  "Forget Me Nots" has been frequently covered, most notably by Will Smith in 1997's "Men In Black."