Short bio Stephen Foster
Full biography Stephen Foster
Stephen Foster was an American composer, known for his contribution to American music during the 19th century. Born in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, on July 4, 1826, he was the ninth of ten children. Despite being born into a family with a limited income, Foster's musical talent was evident from a young age.
Foster wrote over two hundred songs throughout his career, including many that are now considered American classics. His songs were known for their engaging melodies and heartfelt lyrics that captured the spirit of American life. Some of his best-known songs include "Oh! Susanna," "Camptown Races," and "My Old Kentucky Home."
Foster's music achieved widespread popularity during his lifetime and has continued to be celebrated in the years since his death. He contributed to the development of American music by blending elements of European classical music with popular music styles of his time.
Despite his success as a composer, Foster faced several personal and professional challenges throughout his life. He struggled with alcoholism and financial difficulties, and his songs were sometimes plagiarized by other composers. Foster died on January 13, 1864, at the age of 37, leaving behind a legacy of timeless music that continues to be enjoyed by audiences around the world.
Albums featuring Stephen Foster
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Stephen Foster, Charles Tomlinson Griffes, Aaron Copland / Thomas Hampson • Jay Ungar • David Alpher • Molly Mason • Deborah Voigt • Brian Zeger • Barbara Hendricks – Songs; The Rose Of The Night; Eight Poems Of Emily Dickinson(CD, Album, Compilation) | 2008 | EMI Classics |
| 2 |  |
Stephen Foster, Thomas Hampson, Jay Ungar, Molly Mason, David Alpher – Ashokan Farewell - Beautiful Dreamer: Songs Of Stephen Foster(CD, Compilation) | 2007 | Classics For Pleasure |
| 3 |  |
John McCormack (2), Schubert, Verdi, Mascagni, Puccini, Foster, Balfe, Wallace – The Acoustic Recordings (1914-1915)(CD, Compilation) | 2007 | Naxos Historical |
| 4 |  |
Stephen Foster, The Chestnut Brass Company – Foster For Brass(CD, Album, Stereo) | 2004 | Naxos |
| 5 |  |
Sara Davis Buechner, Stephen Foster – The Complete Piano Works Of Stephen Foster(CD, ) | 2002 | ProPiano |
| 6 |  |
Stephen Foster, Jill Gallina – Treasures For Two(CD, ) | 1999 | Shawnee Press, Inc. |
| 7 |  |
Stephen Foster, Julianne Baird, Linda Russell, Frederick Urrey, John Van Buskirk, Ridley Enslow, Steve Schneider – Stephen Foster Songs - Parlor & Minstrel Songs, Dance Tunes & Instrumentals(CD, Album, Stereo) | 1994 | Albany Records |
| 8 |  |
Stephen Foster, Thomas Hampson, Jay Ungar, Molly Mason, David Alpher – American Dreamer: Songs of Stephen Foster | 1992 | Angel Records |
| 9 |  |
Jascha Heifetz, Gershwin, Foster, Weill, Berlin Also Starring Bing Crosby – The Decca Masters Volume 2 | 1988 | BMG Direct Marketing, Inc. |
| 10 |  |
Robert White (3), Stephen Foster – Beautiful Dreamer = 夢見る人／フォスター歌曲集(CD, Album) | 1987 | RCA |
| 11 |  |
Leaving It Up To You(7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo) | 1979 | Whitehorse Records |
| 12 |  |
Stephen C. Foster, Henry Clay Work, George F. Root, The American Music Consort – Sentimental Songs Of The Mid-Nineteenth Century | 1976 | Takoma |
| 13 |  |
Songs By Stephen Foster, Volume II | 1976 | Nonesuch |
| 14 |  |
Stephen Foster - The Gregg Smith Singers, The New York Vocal Arts Ensemble – Stephen Foster Songs(LP) | 1975 | VOX/Turnabout |
| 15 |  |
His Life And His Music(LP, Compilation) | 1974 | Sine Qua Non |
| 16 |  |
Stephen Foster(LP, Compilation) | 1973 | Family Records (4) |
| 17 |  |
Stephen Foster, Jan Degaetani, Leslie Guinn – Songs By Stephen Foster (1826-1864) | 1972 | Nonesuch |
| 18 |  |
The Roger Wagner Chorale – Songs Of Stephen Foster | 1969 | Capitol Records |
| 19 |  |
William Steinberg, The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Robert Russell Bennett – Stephen Foster, A Commemoration Symphony / A Symphonic Story Of Jerome Kern | 1964 | Everest |
| 20 |  |
Stephen Foster, Eric Rogers Chorale And Orchestra – The Beloved Melodies Of Stephen Foster | 1964 | London Records |
| 21 |  |
Stephen Foster, Robert Shaw Chorale – Stephen Foster Favorites | 1959 | RCA Victor Red Seal |
| 22 |  |
Stephen Foster, John Philip Sousa – Music Masters Foster And Sousa - Their Stories And Their Music(LP, Compilation, Mono) | 1959 | VOX (6) |
| 23 |  |
Stephen Foster - American Recording Society Orchestra, Eugene Lowell – Village Festival | 1953 | Music Treasures Of The World |
| 24 |  |
Robert Merrill, Clifton Fadiman, Stephen Foster – Stephen Foster In Song And Story | 1951 | RCA Victor |
| 25 |  |
Melodies(LP, 10", Album) | 1951 | Pontiac (2) |
| 26 |  |
Massa's In De Cold Ground / Old Folks At Home(Edison Disc, ) | 1915 | Edison Records |
| 27 |  |
The Hits Of Stephen Foster(7", 33 ⅓ RPM, EP) | - | Condensed Classics |
| 28 |  |
Stephen Foster Barítono: Robert Merrill – Las Carreras De Camptown(7", 45 RPM, EP) | - | RCA Victor Sello Rojo |
| 29 |  |
Glenn Cross & His Orchestra, Stephen Foster – Compton Races / O Suzanna!(7") | - | Pixie (5) |
| 30 |  |
Melodies(7", 45 RPM, EP) | - | Concerteum |
| 31 |  |
Melodies(LP, Album, Stereo) | - | Joker Hi-Fi Records |
| 32 |  |
The Music Of Stephen Foster(4×Shellac, 12", 78 RPM, Album, Reissue) | - | Victor |
| 33 |  |
Stephen Foster, Linda Russell, Rudolph Palmer, Rooke Chapel Choir – Civil War Songs - Ballads, Patriotic Songs, Laments(CD, Album) | - | Helicon Classics |
| 34 |  |
Debussy, Brahms, Bartók, Foster, Trevor Stephenson – Music Of Debussy, Brahms, Bartók & Foster(CD, ) | - | Light & Shadow |
| 35 |  |
His Story And His Music(10", Album) | - | VOX (6) |
| 36 |  |
Impression D'Amerique - Les Airs Celebres de Stephen Foster - Orchestre Des 101 Violons(LP, Compilation) | - | Mode Disques |
| 37 |  |
Foster & Sousa – The Stories Of Foster & Sousa In Words And Music(CD, Compilation, Reissue, Remastered) | - | VOX (6) |
Videos featuring Stephen Foster
My Old Kentucky Home ~ Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet (1939)
Title: My Old Kentucky Home
From Album: “Decca Presents a Collection of Stephen Foster Melodies Sung By Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet”
Artist: #FrankLuther and #TheLynMurrayQuartet
Label: #DeccaRecords
Flip-side: Beautiful Dreamer
Year: #1939
Co
Beautiful Dreamer ~ Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet (1939)
Title: Beautiful Dreamer
From Album: “Decca Presents a Collection of Stephen Foster Melodies Sung By Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet”
Artist: #FrankLuther and #TheLynMurrayQuartet
Label: #DeccaRecords
Flip-side: My Old Kentucky Home
Composer(s):
Old Folks At Home ~ Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet (1939)
Title: Old Folks At Home
From Album: “Decca Presents a Collection of Stephen Foster Melodies Sung By Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet”
Artist: #FrankLuther and #TheLynMurrayQuartet
Label: #DeccaRecords
Flip-side: I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Br
I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair ~ Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet (1939)
Title: I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair
From Album: “Decca Presents a Collection of Stephen Foster Melodies Sung By Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet”
Artist: #FrankLuther and #TheLynMurrayQuartet
Label: #DeccaRecords
Flip-side: Old Folk
Old Black Joe ~ Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet (1939)
Title: Old Black Joe
From Album: “Decca Presents a Collection of Stephen Foster Melodies Sung By Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet”
Artist: #FrankLuther and #TheLynMurrayQuartet
Label: #DeccaRecords
Flip-side: De Camptown Races/Uncle Ned/Ring De Ban
De Camptown Races/Uncle Ned/Ring De Banjo ~ Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet (1939)
Title: De Camptown Races/Uncle Ned/Ring De Banjo
From Album: “Decca Presents a Collection of Stephen Foster Melodies Sung By Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet”
Artist: #FrankLuther and #TheLynMurrayQuartet
Label: #DeccaRecords
Flip-side: Old Black
Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming ~ Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet (1939)
Title: Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming
From Album: “Decca Presents a Collection of Stephen Foster Melodies Sung By Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet”
Artist: #FrankLuther and #TheLynMurrayQuartet
Label: #DeccaRecords
Flip-side: Oh! Boys Carry Me 'L
Oh! Boys Carry Me 'Long/Some Folks Do/Old Dog Tray ~ Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet (1939)
Title: Oh! Boys Carry Me 'Long/Some Folks Do/Old Dog Tray
From Album: “Decca Presents a Collection of Stephen Foster Melodies Sung By Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet”
Artist: #FrankLuther and #TheLynMurrayQuartet
Label: #DeccaRecords
Flip-side: C
Massa's in De Cold, Cold Ground ~ Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet (1939)
Title: Massa's in De Cold, Cold Ground
From Album: “Decca Presents a Collection of Stephen Foster Melodies Sung By Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet”
Artist: #FrankLuther and #TheLynMurrayQuartet
Label: #DeccaRecords
Flip-side: Hard Times Come Again
Hard Times Come Again No More/Oh! Susanna ~ Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet (1939)
Title: Hard Times Come Again No More/Oh! Susanna
From Album: “Decca Presents a Collection of Stephen Foster Melodies Sung By Frank Luther and The Lyn Murray Quartet”
Artist: #FrankLuther and #TheLynMurrayQuartet
Label: #DeccaRecords
Flip-side: Massa's in
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