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My Take
For me, Stephen Foster is the ultimate test of what songwriting greatness really means. His melodies have become so woven into the fabric of American life that many people hum them without ever knowing his name, and I think that anonymity is the highest honor a composer can earn. It moves me that he wrote over 200 songs yet died poor at just 37, often called the father of American music while struggling himself. There is something profoundly humbling about creating work that outlives you by 150 years. I regard Foster as a genuine, if tragically undervalued, genius of the Romantic era.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Stephen Foster
- Name (Japanese)
- スティーブン・フォスター
- Reading
- すてぃーぶん・ふぉすたー
- Born
- July 4, 1826 – January 13, 1864
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Cancer / Dog
- Origin
- Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- songwriter / composer / poet / lyricist / chansonnier
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Washington & Jefferson College
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Oh! Susanna | — | |
| Notable work | Old Folks at Home | — | |
| Notable work | Old Black Joe | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Stephen Foster born?
July 4, 1826 – January 13, 1864.
Where is Stephen Foster from?
Stephen Foster is from Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, United States.
What does Stephen Foster do?
Stephen Foster works as songwriter, composer, poet, lyricist, chansonnier.
What is Stephen Foster known for?
Notable works include Oh! Susanna, Old Folks at Home, Old Black Joe.
Songwriter — see all → · Composer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-19
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.