Her father, Richard Boone Cheatham, was a Tennessee politician who was the mayor of Nashville from 1860 to 1862, and her mother was Frances Ann Bugg.

[2] Cheatham began her career in music at age 14 by performing at First Presbyterian Church in Nashville.

During her career, she performed for thousands in England, France, Germany, and the United States, and organized children's concerts for the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

[2] Cheatham was also a speaker who created a series of "illustrated lectures" which focused on her travels throughout Europe.

On June 28, 1930, she was invited by Alþing, the parliament of Iceland, to give a speech at their country's Millennial Celebrations.