Stephen C. Foster (July 4th, 1826-January 13, 1864), in my humble opinion, was America’s greatest songwriter. His contributions to America’s deep musical legacy include “Oh! Susanna”, “Beautiful Dreamer”, “Old Folks at Home” and “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair”. One of my fondest childhood memories is music time at St. Francis grammar school when we would open an old faded text book entitled “America’s Greatest Songs”. Inside the worn pages were many of Foster’s greatest compositions and the good Sisters would lead us in singing them one by one. Experiencing Foster’s songs at such an early age left a deep imprint on my musical psyche. Today as I teach children guitar, I am saddened, more often than not, to learn these children have no idea who Stephen Foster is nor have any familiarity with his music. This being the case, I have considered it my responsibility to introduce them to Foster’s music and tell them a little bit about his life.
Although many of his compositions are written about the South, Foster was born on July 4, 1826 in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania and spent most of his life in the Northeastern part of the U.S. Foster taught himself to play many instruments including the clarinet, violin, flute and the piano. He also learned to read and write music,with some instruction from Pittsburgh musician, Henry Kleber. In his lifetime, Foster wrote over two hundred songs and some captured the imagination of the American public like never before. For example, his song “Oh Susanna!” became the theme song of the California Gold Rush. Later in life, Foster became estranged from his wife and children, and while in New York City became ill with a fever. He died alone and in poverty on January 13, 1864. He was thirty seven years old. It was a sad ending, but his music is highly celebrated today and lives on.
My favorite Foster song is “Hard Times, Come Again No More”. It was first published in 1854 and is still being performed by contemporary artists today. It is a story song about the suffering poor. Its pleading melody and powerful imagery makes it a great work of the songwriting art. I have video taped my version of “Hard Times, Come Again No More” for your viewing in this website.
It is fitting but somewhat ironic that Stephen Foster, “America’s Greatest Songwriter” was born on the Fourth of July in 1826 and died in the final full year of America’s greatest tragedy and triumph, the Civil War. He was truly America’s Son.