Tonya Butler, an assistant professor at the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music, came to Memphis with a mission- to revitalize the music business program at The University of Memphis.
"When I got here, all I really knew about was Elvis," Butler said. "Memphis has a rich musical heritage but not a lot of industry. I took it upon myself to change that."
Butler was born and raised in Los Angeles where she graduated from California Western School of Law. Later, Butler graduated from South Western University School of Law with a master's degree in entertainment and media law.
"I never thought about leaving the industry," Butler said. "When you have a love for the industry you never want to leave the business."
Butler has worked for several companies over the years, including Rhino Records, MGM Music and Pioneer Entertainment, but corporate consolidation and the "instability" of the music industry made her start looking for other opportunities.
"I saw the writing on the wall," Butler said. "I decided that I had to get the heck out of there."
The music school was good on the recording technology side when she got here, but the music business side needed some improvement, Butler said.
"I thought that it (the music business program) was definitely lacking the competitiveness to succeed in the music industry."
Butler does a good job bringing real world experience into the classroom, said Joyclyn Henderson, a senior music business major.
"I've used everything I've learned in Tonya's classes," Henderson said.
Butler helped successfully navigate the music business program through some unstable times, said Lucia Kaminsky, a senior music business major.
"She really turned things around," Kaminsky said. "She put us on the map with the top music industry schools in the country."
Butler said she wanted to do three things when she came to The U of M.
First, she wanted to start a student organization that would connect the students with the music industry, which she did by bringing the Music and Entertainment Industry Student Association to campus.
She also wanted to start a formal internship program because the school "needed to seek out relationships with the local music industry."
Finally, Butler planned on starting a student-run record label, which has been named Bluetrip and is in the final stages of development.
"People accuse the music industry of being cut throat," Butler said. "I don't try to change that perception. I want students from Memphis to be able to stand side by side with people from L.A. or New York."
Butler has great professional connections and real world experience, said Patricia Hoy, director of the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music.
"She (Butler) has a very enthusiastic love and approach for what she does and that translates well into teaching," Hoy said.
