On this day in music history: February 22, 1982 - “Forget Me Nots” by Patrice Rushen is released. Written by Patrice Rushen, Freddie Washington and Terri McFaddin, it is the biggest hit for the singer, songwriter and musician from Los Angeles, CA. When her sixth album “Posh” falls short of the Gold plus sales of the previous release “Pizzazz”, Rushen resolves to take more time working on her next project, as well as taking a more proactive role in its promotion and not rely solely on support from the record label. While working on material, Patrice comes up with a chord progression while playing electric piano in the studio. Her bassist “Ready” Freddie Washington falls in behind her with a bass line, and along with songwriter Terri McFaddin, Rushen comes up with the chorus, melody and lyrics that become “Forget Me Nots”. Cut at Conway Studios in Hollywood, CA, the track features Rushen (electric piano,  synthesizers, and background vocals), Washington (bass) Melvin Webb (drums), Gerald Albright (alto sax) and Roy Galloway (background vocals). Confident that they have a hit on their hands, Rushen and her co-producer Charles Mims, Jr. set up a meeting with executives at Elektra to play them “Forget Me Nots” and the rest of the new album. Expecting them to be just enthusiastic, both are shocked when the label tells them point blank that they think the song will flop. Still reeling from the meeting, Rushen calls up her friend, producer Quincy Jones and tell him about what had happened. Jones suggests that she hire her independent record promotion people to work “Forget Me Nots” at radio, and that if it takes off, the record company will change their tune. Patrice withdraws her life savings from the bank, and hires record promoters to work the single. The song is not only an immediate smash on R&B radio and club dance floors, but also receives play on Top 40 pop stations that have mostly shunned black artists after the demise of Disco. Elektra president Joe Smith quickly calls another meeting with Rushen, apologizing for being wrong, and giving her back all of the money she spent promoting her own record. “Forget Me Nots” spends six weeks at #4 on the Billboard R&B singles chart on May 8, 1982, three weeks at #2 on the Club Play chart on May 22, 1982, and peak at #23 on the Hot 100 on July 3, 1982. “Forget Me Nots” has a long life after its run on the charts, being sampled on Will Smith’s chart topping single “Men In Black”, and having its chorus being interpolated into George Michael’s hit “Fastlove”. The success of “Forget Me Nots” turns the accompanying album “Straight From The Heart” into the best selling album of Patrice Rushen’s career, moving more than a million copies in the US alone.
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