Divine Women Of Our Time: Slyvia Rhone

Sylvia Rhone has chartered a groundbreaking career in the American recording industry. In 1988, she became the first black woman to serve as vice-president of a major record company--Atlantic Records--and three years later was named co-president and chief executive officer of her own Atlantic label, EastWest Records America. Though she began her career in banking and finance, Rhone has displayed a knack for discovering and developing new music talent, as well as salvaging financially struggling record divisions.

Born in Philadelphia and raised in New York City's Harlem, Rhone received a degree in economics from the prestigious Wharton School of Finance and Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania. After graduating in 1974, she went to work for a major bank in New York City, but after a year decided the atmosphere was too constraining. "I wore pants to work and all eyebrows turned up," she told Randolph. Rhone scrapped her plans for a financial career, took a major pay cut, and started work as a secretary for Buddah Records--at nearly the bottom rung of the music industry ladder. For Rhone, however, the position represented a great opportunity. "I knew I was taking a risk," she told Black Enterprise, "but from the moment I sat in my new chair, I knew I was cut out for this business."

In the mid 1980s, she was hired as director of national black music promotion at struggling Atlantic Records, which in its heyday represented such acts as Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding. Under Rhone's guidance, the black music roster at Atlantic expanded to include such number one acts as LeVert, Miki Howard, and Gerald Albright. Her success resulted in another promotion in 1988--this time to senior vice-president of the entire Atlantic Records company--making her the only black woman to hold as a high a position within a major American record company.

In late 1991, Atlantic formed a new label, Atco-EastWest, to encompass a broader range of musical artists. Rhone was named chair and chief executive officer of the label, which will feature several dozen acts--both black and white--varying in style from rock and pop to rhythm and blues to rap. In 1994, Rhone became chairman/CEO of Elektra Records. She oversaw the consolidation of four labels into the Elektra Entertainment Group, whose roster included rapper Missy Elliott, radio personality Angie Martinez, Metallica, Jet, hip hop's Fabolous, Sacario and Yolanda Adams. Rhone exited that post in March 2004 when Elektra was dismantled by its parent company, Warner Music Group.

In 2004, she was appointed president of Universal Music Group's Motown Records and executive VP of Universal Records where she has remained. Source:answers.com Wikipedia.com
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Divine Women of Our Time is a series to remind us of the rich culture we come from and to celebrate black history month. I will profile strong women that have been apart of building a culture, paving ways for those after them and who have made a memorable impact within their industry. These women were not only leaders, but they were role models for many people at an appointed time. Most of these women are still with us thankfully. Rightfully so, I want to celebrate them while they are here and can understand that there relevance is appreciated as apart of our rich history.