Stephen Collins Foster  (1826-1864)
Last updated: 30.09.24
According to The New Penguin Dictionary of Music, Stephen Foster was a prolific American composer mainly of songs to his own words. He was self-taught and died poor and an alcoholic.
Many of my early struggles with the piano started with Stephen Foster compositions such as Jeanie with the light brown hair and Beautiful Dreamer.
Websites:
url15.gif Stephen Collins Foster An exhaustive biography by Kathryn Miller Haines.  
url15.gif  DAHR: Stephen Collins Foster List of 546 historic recordings from 1894 to 1948.
Stephen Collins Foster  (1826-1864) has at least 3 item(s) at the Amazons which you can order on-line by clicking the item's order icon.
b000xtswbc_m.jpgCome Where My Love Lies Dreaming
Music by: Stephen Collins Foster.
Performed by: Christy Minstrels
Publisher: F. Pitman Hart & Co.
Suppliers: flag15us.gif
Printed: 1900. Sheet Music.
b0016fwxoy_m.jpgFarewell My Lilly Dear A Plantation Melody
Music by: Stephen Collins Foster.
Performed by: Christy Minstrels
Publisher: Firth, Pond & Co.
Suppliers: B0016FWXOY: not available.
Printed: 1851. Sheet Music.
b00fd7x2dm_m.jpgMy Old Kentucky Home, Good Night
Words and Music by: Stephen Collins Foster.
Performed by: Christy Minstrels
Publisher: Wm. A. Pond & Co.
Suppliers: flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15es.gif
Printed: 1853. Sheet Music.
  Title (Release Year) Co-Author(s) Performers Issue
         
cylinder15.gif My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night (1896-1899) Charles P. Lowe Edison Record: 3014
cylinder15.gif My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night (1896-1897) Charles P. Lowe Columbia Phonograph Co.: 12006
cylinder15.gif My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night (1909) Edison Concert Band Edison Amberol: 87
cylinder15.gif My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night (1914) Edison Concert Band Edison Blue Amberol: 2239
cylinder15.gif Old Folks at Home (1915) Christine Miller Edison Blue Amberol: 2584
cylinder15.gif Nelly Was a Lady (1910) Frank Coombs Indestructible Record: 1373
cylinder15.gif Old Folks at Home (1908) Florence Ethel Smith U.S. Everlasting Record: 269
cylinder15.gif Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming (1919) A. Case Edison Royal Purple Amberol: 29022
cylinder15.gif My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night (1906) George Alexander Columbia Phonograph Co.: 32865
cylinder15.gif Old Folks at Home (1913) Margaret Keyes Edison Blue Amberol: 28143
cylinder15.gif Suwanee River (1903)(1903) Samuel H. Dudley Edison Gold Moulded Record: 8304
  Title (Release Year) Co-Author(s) Performers Issue
         
audioextmp315.gif  Old Folks at Home (1899) Roger Harding
S. Porter
Columbia Phonograph Company: 13010
audioextmp315.gif Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming (1908) Knickerbocker Quartette Edison's National Phonograph Company 9994
audioextmp315.gif Plantation Songs (1928) Paul Robeson HMV C1588
  Title (Release Year) Composer Performers Issue
         
recordmp3.gif Gentle Annie (1919) S. Foster Merle Alcock Victor: B-22696
recordmp3.gif Massa's in De Cold Ground (1912) S. Foster Marguerite Dunlap Victor: B-12646
recordmp3.gif My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night (1909) S. Foster Geraldine Farrar
Harry MacDonough
Reed Miller
Reinald Werrenrath
Victor: B-8273
recordmp3.gif Old Black Joe (1918) S. Foster Barbara Maurel Columbia: 49496
record15.gif Old Folks at Home (1918) S. Foster Clara Butt Columbia: 76022
recordmp3.gif Old Folks at Home (1916) S. Foster A. Case Edison: 4882
recordmp3.gif Old Folks at Home (1922) S. Foster Amelita Galli-Curci Victor: B-26594
recordmp3.gif Old Folks at Home (1910) S. Foster Marguerite Dunlap Victor: B-9146
     Title Author Supplier
       
book15.gif  Doo-Dah : Stephen Foster and the Rise of American Popular Culture Ken Emerson flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
book15.gif  Stephen Foster: American Troubador John Howard flag15us.gif
book15.gif  Susanna, Jeanie, and The Old Folks at Home William W. Austin flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
This list is derived from information provided by Monologues.co.uk which went down sometime in 2023.
The loss of this valuable resource is very sad and a mystery.
     Title Attribution Remarks
       
  Beautiful Dreamer Stephen Collins Foster (words & music)
Christy Minstrels (perf.)
 
     Title Attribution Instruments Source Remarks
           
pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
Beautiful Dreamer (1864) S. Foster (w&m)
Piano, Voice IMSLP
Indiana
wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif Camptown Races (De), Gwine to Run All Night (1850) S. Foster (w&m) Piano, Voice IMSLP wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming (1855) S. Foster (w&m)
Piano, Voice IMSLP
Indiana
wvicon.gif

pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
Ellen Bayne (1854) S. Foster (w&m)
Edwin C. Christy (perf.)
Edwin C. Christy (perf.)
Piano, Voice
IMSLP
Indiana
wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
Eulalie (1851) S. Foster (music)
Henry Sylvester Cornwell (words)
Piano, Voice IMSLP
Indiana
Pub.

pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
Farewell My Lilly Dear (1851) S. Foster (w&m)
Christy Minstrels (perf.)
Christy Minstrels (perf.)
Piano, Voice
IMSLP
Indiana
Pub.
pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
Gentle Annie (1856) S. Foster (w&m)
Piano Greer
IMSLP
Pub.
pdf15.gif  Glendy Burk (1860), The S. Foster (w&m) Piano, Voice IMSLP
pdf15.gif I Still See Her in My Dreams (1857) S. Foster (w&m) Piano, Voice Indiana Pub.
pdf15.gif Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair (1854) S. Foster (w&m) Piano, Voice IMSLP Pub.
pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
Linger in Blissful Repose (1858) S. Foster (w&m)

Piano, Voice Greer
IMSLP
Indiana
Pub.
pdf15.gif Lula Is Gone (1858) S. Foster (w&m) Piano, Voice Indiana Pub.
pdf15.gif Maggie by My Side (1852) S. Foster (w&m) Piano, Voice Indiana Pub.

pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
Massa's in De Cold Ground (1852) S. Foster (w&m)
Christy Minstrels (perf.)
Christy Minstrels (perf.)
Piano, Voice
IMSLP
Indiana
Pub.
pdf15.gif Molly Do You Love Me? (1850) S. Foster (w&m) Piano, Voice Indiana Pub.
pdf15.gif  My Brodder Gum (1849) S. Foster (w&m) Piano, Voice IMSLP Pub.

pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night (1853) S. Foster (w&m)
Christy Minstrels (perf.)
Christy Minstrels (perf.)
Piano, Voice
IMSLP
Indiana
YorkSpace
Pub.
pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
Nellie Bly (1850) S. Foster (w&m)
Piano, Voice IMSLP
Indiana
Pub.
pdf15.gif Nelly Was a Lady (1849) S. Foster (w&m) Piano, Voice Indiana Pub.
pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
Oh Boys Carry Me 'long (1851) S. Foster (w&m)
Piano, Voice IMSLP
Indiana
Pub.


pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
Oh! Susanna (1848) S. Foster (w&m)
S. Winner (coauth.)
Christy Minstrels (perf.)
Christy Minstrels (perf.)
Piano

Greer
IMSLP
wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
Old Black Joe (1860) S. Foster (w&m)
Piano, Voice IMSLP
Indiana
wvicon.gif

pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
Old Dog Tray (1853) S. Foster (w&m)
Christy Minstrels (perf.)
Christy Minstrels (perf.)
Piano, Voice
IMSLP
Indiana
Pub.

pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
 Old Folks at Home (1851) S. Foster (w&m)
Christy Minstrels (perf.)
Christina Nilsson (perf.)
E. Christy (perf.)
Piano, Voice
IMSLP
Indiana
Indiana
YorkSpace
Pub.
pdf15.gif Ring, Ring De Banjo (1851) S. Foster (w&m) Piano, Voice IMSLP
pdf15.gif She Was All the World to Me (1864) S. Foster (music)
Dr. Duffy (words)
Piano, Voice IMSLP
pdf15.gif Song of All Songs (1888), The S. Foster (w&m) Piano, Voice Indiana wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif Under the Willow She's Sleeping (1863) S. Foster (w&m) Piano, Voice Indiana wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif Way Down in C-A-I-Ro (1850) S. Foster (w&m)
James F. Taunt (perf.)
Piano, Voice Indiana Pub.
pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
Willie, We Have Missed You (1854) S. Foster (w&m)
Piano, Voice IMSLP
Indiana
Pub.
Recorder Sheet Music
Album of Well-Known Songs (American Folk) (D/A/T)smp_unav15.gif
Score and Parts.
Arr./Editor: A. Charlton
Publisher: Jolly Robin (JR00016)
Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair (D/A/T/B)smp_unav15.gif
Score.
Publisher: Loux Music Publishing Co. (RFS0010)
This list is arranged in chronological order and contains 39 works by Stephen Collins Foster (1826-1864). It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys: pdf15.gif (w&m)
Title Year Attribution Remarks
       
Oh! Susanna (w&m) 1848 Septimus Winner (co-author)
Betty, Jean & Jim (perf.)
Blaine & Cal Smith (perf.)
Christy Minstrels (perf.)
Johnny Fox (perf.)
Lois Wilson (perf.)
 wvicon.gif
My Brodder Gum (w&m) 1849  wvicon.gif
Nelly Was a Lady (w&m) 1849 Frank Coombs (perf.)  Pub.  cylinder15.gif
Camptown Races (De), Gwine to Run All Night (w&m) 1850  wvicon.gif
Molly Do You Love Me? (w&m) 1850  Pub.
Nellie Bly (w&m) 1850  Pub.
Way Down in C-A-I-Ro (w&m) 1850 James F. Taunt (perf.)  Pub.
Eulalie 1851 Henry Sylvester Cornwell (words)  Pub.
Farewell My Lilly Dear (w&m) 1851 Christy Minstrels (perf.)  amazon15.gif Pub.
Oh Boys Carry Me 'long (w&m) 1851  Pub.
Old Folks at Home (w&m) 1851 Clara Butt (perf.)
Anna Case (perf.)
Christy Minstrels (perf.)
Edwin Pearce Christy (perf.)
Marguerite Dunlap (perf.)
Amelita Galli-Curci (perf.)
Roger Harding (perf.)
Margaret Keyes (perf.)
Christine Miller (perf.)
Christina Nilsson (perf.)
Steve Porter (perf.)
Florence Ethel Smith (perf.)
Sold by Foster to Edwin Pearce Christy
 Pub.  record15.gif recordmp3.gif recordmp3.gif recordmp3.gif audioextmp315.gif cylinder15.gif cylinder15.gif cylinder15.gif
Ring, Ring De Banjo (w&m) 1851
Maggie by My Side (w&m) 1852  Pub.
Massa's in De Cold Ground (w&m) 1852 Christy Minstrels (perf.)
Marguerite Dunlap (perf.)
 Pub.  recordmp3.gif
My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night (w&m) 1853 George Alexander (perf.)
Edison Concert Band (perf.)
Christy Minstrels (perf.)
Geraldine Farrar (perf.)
Charles P. Lowe (perf.)
Harry MacDonough (perf.)
Reed Miller (perf.)
Reinald Werrenrath (perf.)
 wvicon.gif  recordmp3.gif cylinder15.gif cylinder15.gif cylinder15.gif cylinder15.gif cylinder15.gif
Old Dog Tray (w&m) 1853 Christy Minstrels (perf.)  Pub.
Title Year Attribution Remarks
       
Ellen Bayne (w&m) 1854 Edwin C. Christy (perf.)  wvicon.gif
Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair (w&m) 1854 Dale Evans (perf.)
Milt Herth (perf.)
John McCormack (perf.)
Jack Spratt (perf.)
 Pub. youtube15.jpg
Willie, We Have Missed You (w&m) 1854  Pub.
Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming (w&m) 1855 Anna Case (perf.)
Christy Minstrels (perf.)
Knickerbocker Quartette (perf.)
 amazon15.gif wvicon.gif  audioextmp315.gif cylinder15.gif
Gentle Annie (w&m) 1856 Merle Alcock (perf.)
Christy Minstrels (perf.)
 Pub.  recordmp3.gif
I Still See Her in My Dreams (w&m) 1857  Pub.
Linger in Blissful Repose (w&m) 1858  Pub.
Lula Is Gone (w&m) 1858  Pub.
Glendy Burk, The (w&m) 1860
Old Black Joe (w&m) 1860 Barbara Maurel (perf.)
Orrin Tucker (perf.)
 wvicon.gif  recordmp3.gif
Under the Willow She's Sleeping (w&m) 1863  wvicon.gif
Beautiful Dreamer (w&m) 1864 Christy Minstrels (perf.)
Stephen Sasloe (perf.)
Jonathan Guyot Smith (perf.)
 wvicon.gif youtube15.jpg
She Was All the World to Me 1864 Dr. Duffy (words)
Song of All Songs, The (w&m) 1888  wvicon.gif
Suwanee River (Parody) 1903 Samuel H. Dudley (perf.)   cylinder15.gif
Plantation Songs 1928 Paul Robeson (perf.)   audioextmp315.gif
Title Year Attribution Remarks
       
Way Down Upon the Swanee River 1935 Stephen Foster (words)
Samuel H. Dudley (perf.)
Paul Robeson (perf.)
S. H. Dudley parodises it.
 wvicon.gif youtube15.jpg  cylinder15.gif
For the Dear Old Flag I Die (w&m) 1939  wvicon.gif
Hard Times Come Again No More (w&m) 1954  wvicon.gif
Oh! Lemuel (w&m) 1957  wvicon.gif
Open Thy Lattice, Love (w&m) 1957  Pub.
Some Folks (w&m) 1957  Pub.
White House Chair, The (w&m) ?
     Composer Title Performer
       
youtube15.jpg S. Foster Beautiful Dreamer (3:24) Jonathan Guyot Smith & Stephen Sasloe
youtube15.jpg S. Foster Jeanie with the light brown hair (3:01) John McCormack
youtube15.jpg S. Foster Way down upon the Swanee River (3:15) Paul Robeson