Stephen C. Foster biography

 

Stephen Foster, American Composer, born July 4, 1826, in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania (now currently a part of Pittsburgh).  He was Americas first recognized professional songwriter.
Foster was educated at Allegheny Academy, Athens Academy, Jefferson College and he studied with Pittsburgh music teacher, Henry Kleber.

Foster’s first toe tapping hit ‘Oh! Susanna’ was written prior to him becoming a professional songwriter, 1850. With many of his songs written while he worked for and with various minstrel show troupes such as, Christy’s Minstrels, Campbell Minstrels and the New Orleans Serenaders.  
Most of Foster’s best work being produced between 1850 and 1860, including “Camptown Races’ (1850), ‘Old Folks at Home’ (1851), “My Old Kentucky Home” (1853), ‘Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair’ (1854), and ‘Old Black Joe’ (1860), with the lyric’s to his songs, described as containing simple harmonies.  In his time composing 285 songs, hymns, arrangements, and instrumental works. Although his songs gained him popularity (with many still popular today), making him famous, he was deprived of the riches that usually go along with such success.

Foster married Jane Denny McDowell, who bore him a daughter.  Apparently Foster moved to New York, in 1860, where he lived alone in a hotel in Bowery.  Alcoholism and poverty took it’s toll, with which after sustaining injuries to his face and neck in a fall, he was admitted to Bellevue Hospital where he died, January 13, 1864.