A New Take on Stephen Foster's Music Stephen Foster wrote tunes that American children still grow up singing. But some of his original words reflect offensive racial attitudes.

A New Take on Stephen Foster's Music September 3, 2004 • Stephen Foster wrote tunes that American children still grow up singing. But some of his original words reflect offensive racial attitudes.

If you lived in the United States in 1855, Stephen Foster would probably be your favorite songwriter. His melodies were beautiful and his lyrics matched the music so well, people loved his songs.

Today’s music connoisseurs are beginning to call Bland “the Negro Stephen Foster,” to rate him after Foster as the second greatest U. S. writer of Southern songs.

If you've ever hummed "Camptown Races" or "Oh! Susanna," then you're familiar with 19th century songwriter Stephen Foster. But the lyrics in Foster's songs often contained condescending racial ideas.

Stephen Collins Foster was born on July 4, 1826, near Pittsburgh and became a bookkeeper in Cincinnati. He was a self-taught musician and composed 125 songs, many of them inspired by observing the ...

Pop comebacks keep getting stranger: first Robert Johnson, then Nat King Cole, and now Stephen Foster. America’s first pop star, Foster wrote “Oh! Susanna,” “Jeanie With the Light Brown ...

Stephen Foster was the first great American songwriter. His melodies are so much a part of American history and culture that most people think they're folk tunes. All in all he composed some 200 ...

Singer and songwriters Rosanne Cash, right, performs at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum in June 2014, in Boston. (Steven Senne/AP) Songwriter Stephen Foster. (Courtesy Shore Fire Media) You ...

Tells the story of composer Stephen Foster. "Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming" explores the deep connection between a son and his mother, highlighting the mother's influence on his musical talent.