Veteran music industry executive Ted Cohen has worked with artists such as Prince, Van Halen and Fleetwood Mac and advised companies like DreamWorks, Amazon, Microsoft, Universal Studios and more. Now, he is sharing his six decades of expertise with The University of Tulsa’s arts, culture & entertainment (ACE) management students as the program’s distinguished entertainment executive in residence.
“It’s an unbelievable opportunity that our students have access to somebody as established in the music and digital entertainment industry as Ted Cohen,” said Sam Krall, ACE Management program director.
Cohen began managing music acts in high school before moving on to transform his college’s radio station into a rock format. While in college, he became acquainted with other music industry professionals who encouraged him to apply for a position at Columbia Records, launching his legendary career.
Cohen is paying it forward by mentoring students as they navigate an evolving industry. Krall and Corey Taylor, who serves as the program’s music industry professional-in-residence, have worked to make Cohen an accessible resource for students. Last semester, the faculty launched Tuesdays with Ted at McFarlin Library’s Starbucks, where students can discuss industry topics ranging from the impact of artificial intelligence to the future of vinyl. “It’s been really rewarding,” said Cohen. “Their grasp of real-world business issues is impressive.”
The ACE management students that Cohen works with have had excellent local opportunities as the Tulsa music scene continues to grow and thrive. UTulsa alumna Anna Lyon (B.A. ’25) has gone on to work at the legendary Church Studio as a marketing assistant and photographer, while Clarissa Jackson (B.A. ’26) is currently a development associate at the Tulsa Symphony.
“I believe there is no shortage of venues and initiatives in Tulsa that can all benefit from UTulsa students’ involvement,” said Cohen.
Cohen emphasizes taking advantage of this growing network in his mentorship. “Students need to focus on building their ‘village,’ not on achieving short-term gains,” he said. “I have given many examples of reaching out to people who I’ve interacted with over the years because we have always treated each other with kindness when it was needed.”
After working so closely with the next generation of music industry professionals, Cohen has confidence that they can approach rising challenges in the industry, such as AI and innovative digital distribution platforms, head-on. “These are not ‘business as usual’ times,” said Cohen. “They seem to understand that reality and are actively acquiring the necessary skills to compete.”
Learn more about Kendall College’s exciting majors and minors at https://utulsa.edu/academics/arts/academics/