Educated at Washington & Jefferson College where he only spent about a month, Foster showed early promise in music and published his first song, Open Thy Lattice Love in 1844. In 1846, he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio and worked as a bookkeeper for his brother while continuing to write songs. In 1848, he published his first hit song, Oh! Susanna, which became an international favorite. In 1850, he signed a contract with the Christy Minstrels to supply them with songs and over the next decade produced some of the most memorable works in American musical history including Campdown Races, Old Folks at Home, My Old Kentucky Home and Jeannie With the Light-Brown Hair. In spite of his immense popularity and success as a songwriter, Foster made very little from his works in terms of financial rewards. Copyright infringement was common in that era and pirate sheet music publishers took the bulk of money earned from Foster's work. He moved to New York City in 1860, but the Civil War influenced the commercial music market and Foster's fortunes declined. He became destitute and died after an accident in his hotel at the age of only 37. His other works include Old Uncle Ned (1848), Nelly Was a Lady (1849), Hard Times Come Again No More (1855), The White House Chair (1856) and Beautiful Dreamer (1864). |
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