July 4

The great Stephen Foster was born on July 4th, 1826 -- appropriate for the song writer who turned out to be the "father of American music." His songs include "Oh! Susanna," "Camptown Races," "Old Folks at Home" ("Swanee River"), "My Old Kentucky Home," "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair" and "Beautiful Dreamer." Although many of his songs had Southern themes, Foster never lived in the South and visited it only once (he was born near Pittsburgh). He died impoverished in New York at age 37.