Athena Cage

Multiplatinum selling singer/producer, award winning songwriter and GRAMMY mentor ATHENA CAGE, born and raised in Russellville, Kentucky is proud of her Southern roots. After garnering worldwide success, she took a hiatus from her hectic schedule to return home to Kentucky to establish her music enterprises in Bowling Green, Kentucky where she now resides, and to help make a difference in her community.
With Millions in sales worldwide and appearances on practically every major TV show, including a couch guest appearance on the Jay Leno Show, Athena is still riding high on her double platinum debut solo single, “All or Nothing” from the MTV/Paramount Pictures film “Save the Last Dance.” With three number one, multiplatinum charted hits with Keith Sweat entitled, “Nobody,” (considered by radio as the duet of the 90’s and now an R&B classic) “Get Up On It” and “Twisted,” Athena received BMI’s “Pop Song of the Year” Award for co-writing “Twisted.”
Her career began as a background singer, working with a wide variety of musical artists including Country star Amy Grant and R&B giants, the Isley Brothers. Moving from Kentucky to Atlanta, Georgia to pursue a music career, Athena auditioned for Sweat’s Elektra distributed label and was immediately signed as lead singer of girl group Kut Klose. ATHENA had a chart topping single with the group, the unforgettable R&B classic “I Like.”
During a previous GRAMMY week, ATHENA was tapped to perform for the GRAMMY Foundation at the Toys R Us event on Broadway and wowed the audience performing with PBS’ cast of “In Between the Lions.” ATHENA spends time as a GRAMMY mentor visiting schools all over the Nation promoting education.
Her education thrust has taken her to Capitol Hill a number of times advocating keeping, restoring or establishing music and arts programs in our Nation’s schools pointing out the correlation between excelling in music and excelling academically. ATHENA has had meetings at the White House and the U.S. Department of Education to share her views. Other key meetings were with former Senate Education Chair Ted Kennedy and the author of President Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” Susan Sclafani.
In 2003, ATHENA established The Athena Cage Scholarship Fund at her alma mater Western Kentucky University. Through a concert series over five years, ATHENA is endowing $100,000. At the first concert Judge Executive Mike Buchanon renamed Warren County, KY Basil Griffin Park’s amphitheater “The Athena Cage Outdoor Amphitheater.” In 2004, ATHENA teamed with legendary music icon Dionne Warwick for a sellout second concert during which Warren Central HS’Shakara Wynn was awarded the first scholarship. In 2005, in a tribute to America’s Armed Services, her special guest was renowned actor James McEachin, awarded a Silver Star.
Just after 9-11, ATHENA joined in the chorus of accolades for police and fire personnel. "But I noticed that the heroism and daily sacrifces of the men and women of our Armed Services who protect our freedoms was not receiving the attention I believed it deserved," noted ATHENA.
So within weeks of the attack, ATHENA organized and spent two days with the famed Screaming Eagles (101st Airborne Division) at Fort Campbell. She rappelled the Rangers Wall, visited the on-Fort schools, lunched with the troops, observed training and performed a free concert to let them know America appreciates what they do. Commanding General Cody awarded Athena the "Screaming Eagles Award."
An avid sports fan, ATHENA was tapped by the Washington Redskins to perform at an Eagles/Redskins ABC Monday Night Football battle, by the Baltimore Orioles to perform at its season opener against the New York Yankees, and by the Washington Wizards in a nationally televised game against the Dallas Mavericks during Michael Jordan’s last season (Jordan is one of her favorite athletes).
Nothing is more important to ATHENA than uplifting children. In addition to GRAMMY mentoring, in Kentucky, ATHENA adopted the Delafield Community Center a community program for disadvantaged kids. She takes them bowling, to the movies, and annually co-hosts Thanksgiving dinners for the 60 plus kids and their families at TGI Fridays and the Iron Skillet. And she hosts annual Christmas Parties for disadvantaged kids that are supported by Toys R Us, Coca Cola, McDonalds, Best Buy, Papa John’s, Roy’s Bar BQ, KFC, Pizza Hut and Wal-Mart.
On February 20, the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Renfro Valley, Kentucky opened an exhibit on ATHENA’s music and career and ATHENA performed at the February 23 induction ceremony. Athena accepted on behalf of Jazz Great Lionel Hampton prior to her performance. For information: Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum.
It’s no wonder Governor Ernie Fletcher commissioned ATHENA a “Kentucky Colonel” the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s highest award putting ATHENA is such sterling company as Prime Minister Winston Churchill, John Glenn, Tiger Woods, Ann-Margaret and Muhammad Ali. And it should come as no surprise that the City of Russellville, KY renamed the street she grew up on “Athena Cage Way.”