Directors and Staff

Band Director – Rhett Butler

Rhett Butler is a native of Knoxville and a graduate of Karns High School.  He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee.  While at the University of Tennessee, Mr. Butler served as section leader for the “Pride of the Southland Band”. He played in various ensembles such as the Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Concert band, Symphonic Band, Pep-Band, and several small groups.  He served as the Head of Percussion & Indoor Percussion at Karns High School from 1999-2007.  He has served as a judge at many Middle & East Tennessee Marching Competitions.  He is in his 3^rd year at Seymour High School.  Mr. Butler conducts the Symphonic Band, Percussion Ensembles, Indoor Percussion and over-all brass section.

Under his leadership, the Seymour High School band has grown to 125 members.  The Winter Guard and Indoor Programs have made great strides in their first 4 season as competitive groups and they also have reached new highs in WGI and CIPA.  The Marching Band has seen a new style of marching and performance venues.  The concert band has grown into 2 separate groups: the Concert Band, and the Symphonic Band.  The Band Room has seen an overhaul and plans have been made for a new Band Room is under way.  The Band has a distinguished pregame that the home fans love and enjoy.  The Band also plays the New Fight Song at the request of Football Coach Jim Moore.  The Band has grown so large that the school purchased a new set of bleachers for the band to sit in at home games.  A $10,000 trailer was donated for the band to use in all of their travels.

With all of the advancements that the Seymour High School Band has made under Mr. Butler tenure, he still wishes to build relations with the former students, take the band on a spring trip, add new instruments to the organization, build student musicianship, up grade equipment and instruments, improve the student learning space, add instrument lockers/storage to the band room, gain recognition for the band in the community, state and nationally, and become a school that others schools will want to model their programs after.

Assistant Band Director – Brittney Butler

Brittney Butler is a native of Murfreesboro, TN and a graduate of Blackman High School.  She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee in 2009.  While at the University of Tennessee, Mrs. Butler served as a section leader for the “Pride of the Southland Band”.  She also played in various ensembles such as the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Pep-Band, Flute Choir and several other small groups.  Mrs. Butler is the Band Director at Boyds Creek Elementary School, with students ranging from 3^rd-8^th grade.  Mrs. Butler has served at Seymour High School for two years as Woodwind/Front Ensemble Instructor and this is her 2^nd year as the assistant band director.  Mrs. Butler is the director of the Concert Band, Jazz Band, and over-all woodwind section.

Under Mrs. Butler’s leadership, the Jazz Band has gain state recognition by playing in several area and state events.  The Seymour Jazz Band is currently the only East Tennessee group that has a standing invitation to perform at the state’s largest Jazz Fest, the Main Street Jazz Fest in Murfreesboro, TN.  The Boyds Creek Elementary Band has grown so large that the school administration has finally given the band a room to practice in during school.  The school also has several key instruments that they have never owned before: a marimba, 4 concert toms with cases, and other wind and percussion instruments.  They have also been asked to play at one middle school basketball game for the first time ever.