Stephen Foster: The Man Behind Your Favorite Songs (That You Probably Don’t Know)

Stephen Foster was a 19th-century American composer who wrote some of the most iconic songs in American history. But, let’s be real, most people only know him as the guy who wrote “Oh! Susanna” and “Camptown Races.” So, let’s take a look at the man behind the music.

Early Life

Foster was born in 1826 in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania. He was the youngest of his siblings and was often sickly, which gave him plenty of time to daydream about writing catchy tunes.

Career

Foster’s career really took off when he moved to Cincinnati and started working as a bookkeeper. No, seriously. He wrote songs on the side and sold them to local musicians for a few bucks. Eventually, his songs became popular enough that he was able to quit his day job and focus on music full-time.

Foster wrote over 200 songs in his short life, but he wasn’t exactly living the high life as a composer. He had a lot of financial troubles and was constantly selling the rights to his songs for next to nothing. He also had a bit of a drinking problem, which probably didn’t help.

Legacy

Despite his financial troubles, Foster’s songs have become a quintessential part of American music. “Oh! Susanna” is practically the official state song of Alabama, and “Camptown Races” is still played at horse races to this day.

Foster’s songs have been covered by countless artists over the years, including Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, and even the Chipmunks. And let’s not forget the classic line from “Oh! Susanna” that everyone still sings wrong: “I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee” (Foster was actually from Pennsylvania).

Personal Life

Foster had a bit of a complicated personal life. He was married and had a child, but he also had a wandering eye. He was known to fall in love with practically every woman he met, and he wrote a lot of sad songs about the ones that got away.

Foster died at the age of 37 after suffering a head injury. It’s a sad end for someone who brought so much joy to the world with his music. But at least we can all still sing along to “Oh! Susanna” and “Camptown Races” whenever we want.

In Conclusion