Stephen Foster
(1826–1864)

One of America's first great professional songwriters, Stephen Foster composed more than 200 songs in his tragically short life. While many people recognize Foster's tunes, few can identify him as the composer because he did not perform his own music, nor did he achieve the fame and fortune associated with musicians today. However, many of his popular songs such as "Oh! Susanna," "Swanee River," and "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair" are well known throughout American generations.

Even as a young boy, Foster was more interested in music than in any other subject. He published his first song, "Open Thy Lattice Love," when he was only 18, and at age 20 had his first big hit, "Oh! Susanna" (1848). Foster signed a contract with a New York music publisher and launched his professional career when he was 23 years old. By the time he was 24, he had 12 compositions in print.

Foster's ballads conveyed a sentiment that had universal appeal at the time—a yearning for home, family, and happiness. "Old Folks at Home," better known as "Swanee River," is one of his most popular songs. As the Civil War approached, Foster wrote plantation melodies. His 1860 song "Old Black Joe," written in dialect, closely resembles an African American spiritual and praises the noble spirit of a laborer at the end of his life.

Foster spent his final years in New York and wrote nearly 100 songs. "Beautiful Dreamer," written in 1862 and published after Foster's death, remains an all-time favorite. In 1864, Foster was confined to bed with a fever. As he tried to call a chambermaid for assistance, he fell and severely injured his head. He died three days later at the age of 37—with 38 cents in his pocket and a scrap of paper on which he had penciled the words "dear friends and gentle hearts."

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